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Lake Science Expert Joins Verterra Energy's Board of Advisors

Updated: Jul 3, 2025


New Brighton, February 18, 2025 – Verterra Energy, an innovator in operational energy solutions, proudly welcomes Dr. John Downing to its Board of Advisors.


A globally recognized expert in limnology and oceanography, Dr. Downing brings over 40 years of experience in water research, fluid dynamics, and environmental systems. As the Director of the University of Minnesota's Sea Grant College Program, he has led critical research on water movement, ice dynamics, and resource management.


Dr. John Downing
Dr. John Downing
“Verterra is taking exciting new approaches to harnessing water resources for communities,” said Downing. “The imagination and creativity of Ted and the Verterra Team is inspirational… as well as scientifically fascinating.”

Dr. Downing’s expertise in the physics of water movement aligns with Verterra Energy’s mission to develop rugged, scalable hydropower solutions that enhance energy security and resilience.


Ted Christopher, CEO of Verterra Energy, stated, "John is the kind of person you can sit down with and immediately recognize the depth of his knowledge and insight. His expertise in water systems, particularly Lake Superior, is unparalleled. Having someone who has dedicated his life to understanding the very forces that drive our technology is an incredible opportunity for Verterra."

Verterra is on a mission to harness the power of flowing water in rivers, oceans and canals to produce abundant, reliable power.


Visualization of Volturnus

Volturnus is a vertical axis turbine that uniquely harnesses the power of flowing water by combining the working principles of centrifugal pumps & hydrofoils with a rugged, hydrodynamic design. Similar to an underwater 3D weather vane, VOLTURNUS works in harmony with the current to dynamically adjust once deployed. When installed in modular arrays, the technology creates scalable, continuous power from small, 100 watt backpack scale, up to multi-MW arrays.


Based in St. Paul, MN Verterra is funded by mission driven investors and a multi-year DoD contract to commercialize the technology for multiple applications.


Phone: 651-315-8884

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Zakkdaniel
Mar 05

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