La blockchain au service de l’autoconsommation et de la transition énergétique
Gérer, grâce à une solution informatique ayant en partie recours à la blockchain, les communautés d’autoconsommation et ainsi faciliter la transition énergétique...
Projects
The Ark Foundation, through the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Hub, fosters the creation and development of practical projects within the fields of energy, water and the environment. These projects contribute to the dynamism and diversity of the economic fabric of Valais.
EnergyView: a practical e-energy project to help municipalities
The platform offers a multi-utility "energy cockpit" with readings given in CHF and kWh. This cockpit presents details of the consumption of different forms of energy by municipal facilities,...
An innovative mini-turbine to exploit the energy potential of water supply networks
The energy strategy of the Swiss Confederation aims to completely replace nuclear energy with other, cleaner energy sources by 2050. Small-scale hydropower forms part of this strategy and, according to...
Is small-scale pumped storage the solution to balancing energy production?
By 2050, new renewable energy sources will make up a significant part of Switzerland's energy mix, with an estimated electricity production of 12 TWh. How can their volatility be managed? Pumped storage...
Stimulating innovation in “traditional” SMEs
The Ark’s Innovation service has launched a project in January 2015 which aims to stimulate the development of products by “traditional” SMEs, that is those which are more involved in...
Supporting growth in a Valais SME with potential
The period when an SME is growing is just as tricky as the launch of a start-up, and what is more, the financial issues are much more significant. This has been demonstrated by one of The Ark's projects,...
Electric Appliances Rather than Polluting Engines for our Vineyards
In December 2010, the ValNaturePro association presented a project entitled "Nouvelles énergies et appareils électriques dans le vignoble" ("New Energies and Electric Appliances...
A Battery Charger to Optimise Solar Energy Use
With the rise in new renewable energies – and their intermittent production —, energy storage is becoming increasingly important for the safety of electrical supply. The HES-SO Valais...
Promoting Mini-Hydraulics and Renewable Energies in Districts
The Ark Foundation mainly works with research institutes and/or companies. However, it also targets local authorities. This was the case in 2007. Under the authority of BlueArk, The Ark lauched an initiative...
Increasing and monetising grid flexibility
There is no choice: some additional flexibility has to be found in the Swiss electricity grid, because of the arrival on a massive scale of new sources of renewable energy, whose production fluctuates....
Automatic flushing of sand traps to make them more efficient
Stahleinbau und Maschinen SA has been based at Ackersand/Stalden, in the Upper Valais, since its creation in 1956. In its early days, the company was concerned with steel structures and supplying equipment...
Mayens de Sur-le-Scex, a real-scale mini-grid
The island mini-grid system set up by Studer Innotec, a Sion-based SME, allows energy to be produced, stored and exchanged with neighbours. The pilot project, established in the Sanetsch region and supported...
Sensima: gaining more detailed knowledge of hydroelectric installations
Hydroelectric power stations have a particularly long lifespan. This creates a challenge as regards inspecting the technical installations, and more specifically as regards detecting problems or premature...