Carlos Granell, CEO of Granell Ingeniería Consultores: “The promotion of CDTI Innovation and FEDER funds has facilitated the development of a tool adapted to dam hydraulics and easy to use”

Since its foundation in 1989, Granell Consulting Engineers has developed its activity in a field as strategic as it is specialized: the design and analysis of hydraulic infrastructures. The company, managed by Carlos Granell, was born with a clear objective: to provide technical knowledge in the elaboration of studies and projects linked to dam dams, a key field for both water management and energy production.

With a team of 12 professionals —two of them dedicated specifically to R&D activities—, the company has consolidated a trajectory based on specialization and technical knowledge. Its services include projects and studies of dams, hydroelectric uses and water pipelines, with a strong presence in the national market, which represents 75% of its activity, and a growing international projection, especially in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Argentina.

Its main clients include public agencies such as the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, large energy companies such as Iberdrola, Endesa or Naturgy, as well as international and multinational engineering entities. This combination of technical expertise and market knowledge has allowed the company to advance in areas such as computational fluid hydraulics, deepen its digitalization processes and begin to explore the potential of artificial intelligence as part of its corporate strategy.

In this context, innovation is consolidated as a key lever for growth. The company allocates 7.5% of its turnover to R&D activities, a commitment that materializes in the development of its own technological solutions aimed at responding to the current challenges of the hydraulic sector.

A software of its own

The origin of the project on the development of a fluid dynamic modeling software for the optimization of dams and reversible hydraulic power plants is in an experience accumulated for more than a decade. “We have been using commercial software for the numerical modeling of complex hydraulic phenomena for 15 years,” explains Carlos Granell. However, these tools present limitations in terms of adaptation to the specific needs of the sector, cost and market dependency.

Faced with this scenario, the company decided to move towards the development of its own solution. “We intend to obtain a specific tool for dam hydraulics and hydroelectric uses, simple to implement and use, and therefore extensive use,” he says. To this is added a clear strategic objective: “To isolate ourselves or protect ourselves from the ups and downs of the market in this type of software”.

The result is a computational modeling software of fluid mechanics in three dimensions, designed specifically for the analysis of complex hydraulic structures. This tool will allow us to advance in the knowledge of hydraulic phenomena and improve the optimal design of critical infrastructures.

In this process, the support of the CDTI Innovation and the European ERDF funds has been decisive in promoting its development. “The aid is allowing us to develop a tool in which we have many expectations,” says Granell, who highlights that it is a software “specifically adapted to the hydraulics of dams and hydroelectric uses, as well as easy to use and implement.”

Specialization, accessibility and efficiency

One of the main contributions of the software is its high degree of specialization. Unlike the general solutions available on the market, this tool is specifically designed for the hydraulics of dams and hydroelectric power plants, allowing greater precision in analysis and better adaptation to the real needs of engineers.

In addition, the software incorporates an interface designed to facilitate its use by professionals not specialized in fluid dynamics. In Granell’s words, the goal is to facilitate “access to open source, but very advanced, software to an average user by creating a specific interface.”

Another of the differential elements is the optimization of computational resources. The software allows direct parametric adjustments that reduce simulation times and resource consumption, one of the main bottlenecks of current solutions.

Image of the Granell Engineers project

Scientific collaboration to strengthen technological development

The project has the collaboration of the International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), an international reference in the development of advanced numerical methods.

“CIMNE brings its deep knowledge of the theoretical foundations of these calculation codes and its experience in the development of software tools,” explains Granell. This collaboration complements the company’s applied profile – focused on market knowledge and customer needs – with a solid scientific foundation.

In addition, the participation of CIMNE contributes to the international projection of the project and strengthens its positioning in scientific-technical forums, acting as a guarantee of quality for the solution developed.

Making Advanced Simulation Accessible

The main challenge of the project has been to find the balance between technical complexity and ease of use. “Basically, the creation of a tool for numerical simulation of complex hydraulic phenomena, specific to dam hydraulics and hydroelectric uses, simple but advanced and within the reach of the average user,” summarizes Granell.

This approach responds to a clear need in the sector: democratizing access to advanced simulation tools. Today, many small and medium-sized engineering firms are unable to access commercial CFD solutions due to their high cost and technical complexity, which limits their ability to compete in the market.

The software developed by Granell Engineers aims to reverse this situation, offering a more accessible alternative based on open source integration with specific functionalities. “The use of software will make available to technical and scientific organizations with limited resources the study and analysis of complex hydraulic structures through a state-of-the-art tool,” he stresses.

Opportunities in a Changing Market

The project is part of a context of growth in the global market for hydraulic infrastructures, driven by the need to improve water management, strengthen flood protection and advance the energy transition.

In this scenario, reversible hydroelectric power plants acquire a strategic role as energy storage systems, capable of managing production surpluses from renewable sources such as solar and wind.

However, as Granell points out, “the technology to simulate and optimize these projects has not progressed at the same pace.” The software developed responds to this gap, offering a tool capable of efficiently and accurately simulating the hydraulic systems associated with these infrastructures.
In addition, it will allow to analyze specific phenomena such as hydraulic ledges, the drainage capacity of reliefs or the operation of pressure ducts, providing a highly specialized solution for professionals in the sector.

This type of development is also in line with a growing trend at European level: facilitating access to advanced technologies and strengthening the competitiveness of the business sector, especially SMEs, thus contributing to economic and social development.

Graphic image of the software interface of Granell Engineers

Hydraulic engineering more secure, sustainable and aligned with the SDGs

Looking to the future, the role of advanced simulation tools will become increasingly relevant in the design of hydraulic infrastructures. The increasing complexity of these systems, coupled with the challenges associated with climate change and the energy transition, requires more precise, efficient and sustainable solutions.

In this sense, the software developed by Granell Engineers represents a significant advance. Its ability to improve the simulation and optimization of hydraulic systems will contribute to designing infrastructures that are safer, more efficient and adapted to the needs of the environment.

“Its application will contribute to improving safety, efficiency and sustainability in the management of hydraulic infrastructures”, concludes Granell, synthesizing the potential impact of a tool called to transform the way in which these critical infrastructures are designed and analyzed.

This project is also aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and, in particular, with SDGs 6, 7, 9 and 13, by contributing to the development of advanced technological solutions that improve sustainable water management, optimize the efficiency of hydroelectric infrastructures and strengthen their role in the energy transition. Through the simulation and precise analysis of complex hydraulic systems, the tool developed allows to design safer, more resilient infrastructures adapted to the challenges arising from climate change, at the same time promoting innovation and competitiveness in the sector.

Sustained growth with an international vocation

As it advances in the development of this technological solution, the company maintains a growth strategy based on stability and internationalization. Its objectives are to consolidate a sustained growth in Spain, around 10% per year, and strengthen its presence in key international markets such as the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.

This combination of technical specialization is committed to innovation and international vision seeks to place Granell Engineers in a solid position to face the challenges of the sector and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the transformation of the energy model and sustainable water management.

In a context where innovation becomes an essential element in responding to major global challenges, initiatives such as this demonstrate how technological development can contribute directly to improving efficiency, sustainability and accessibility in strategic sectors.

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027, the CDTI provided more than 2 billion euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

 
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