Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Our Story
Cadens began with a simple mission: bring affordable, small-scale hydropower to sites long ignored by traditional turbine manufacturers. When we searched for a 25–35 kW unit for the Rome Mill, we hit a wall—quotes were sky-high, options were limited, and none were practical for low-head applications. The takeaway was clear: the market lacked scalable, cost-effective solutions for micro-hydro.
From the Ground Up: How Cadens Is Reinventing Hydro
Founded in 2011 by Randal Mueller and Dan Gieschen, Cadens LLC was built to change that. By merging time-tested hydropower principles with modern engineering tools—like CFD, FEA, and large-format 3D printing—we developed efficient, cost-effective turbine systems tailored to each site. Early support from the U.S. Department of Energy, The BREW, and WERCBench Labs laid the foundation for our Rome Mill Test Facility and a new era in small hydro innovation.
Where Others Saw Limits, We Engineered Solutions
Today, Cadens is transforming untapped waterways into dependable clean energy with our TurbineBuilder software and custom 3D-printed components. Whether it’s a farm, factory, or rural community, we make low-head hydropower viable—where others said it wasn’t.
Our Team
Randy Mueller
Randy Mueller
Randy Mueller
Randy Mueller has spent fifteen years developing micro-hydropower at the Rome Mill in Sullivan, Wisconsin, and leads Cadens. He put together Cadens' first DOE research team, recruiting the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee for a DOE STTR Phase I, and has since been principal investigator on two DOE SBIR Phase I awards. He led the 3D-pri
Randy Mueller has spent fifteen years developing micro-hydropower at the Rome Mill in Sullivan, Wisconsin, and leads Cadens. He put together Cadens' first DOE research team, recruiting the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee for a DOE STTR Phase I, and has since been principal investigator on two DOE SBIR Phase I awards. He led the 3D-printed 12-inch testbed at the Rome Mill, winner of DOE's IAM Hydro Prize (Grand Prize), and three Oak Ridge National Laboratory CRADAs.
Dan Gieschen
Randy Mueller
Randy Mueller
With 25+ years in software and system design, Dan Gieschen powers Cadens’ technology backbone. He co-created the TurbineBuilder platform and led the development of our Rome Mill Test Facility. Dan’s work makes advanced microhydro systems more accessible, blending smart software with rugged hardware built to last.
Vito Gervasi
Randy Mueller
Vito Gervasi
Vito Gervasi brings more than 25 years of expertise in additive manufacturing, its materials, and design for additive manufacturing to Cadens. Vito is driving the development of cost-effective, flexible turbine designs. His accolades, include the IAM Hydro Grand Prize, recognition at AMUG Advanced Concepts Technical Competition, and AMUG
Vito Gervasi brings more than 25 years of expertise in additive manufacturing, its materials, and design for additive manufacturing to Cadens. Vito is driving the development of cost-effective, flexible turbine designs. His accolades, include the IAM Hydro Grand Prize, recognition at AMUG Advanced Concepts Technical Competition, and AMUG Dino. Beyond innovation, Vito is passionate about helping shape the future of both hydropower and additive manufacturing.
Kurtis Clark
Kurtis Clark
Vito Gervasi
Kurtis Clark is shaping the future of small-scale hydropower at Cadens through system design, modeling, and analysis. A standout graduate from UW-Platteville, he led the 2024 Hydropower Collegiate Competition team and now applies his skills to real-world projects through DOE-backed programs. Kurtis combines technical precision with forward-thinking leadership in sustainable energy.
Jess Crisp
Kurtis Clark
Jess Crisp
Jess Crisp is Cadens' data scientist. Hydropower design draws on many disciplines, and Jess brings two: a chemical engineering degree (Arizona State University, summa cum laude) and a PhD in biochemistry (UC San Diego), followed by years leading discovery teams at therapeutics companies and applied machine-learning work. At Cadens she c
Jess Crisp is Cadens' data scientist. Hydropower design draws on many disciplines, and Jess brings two: a chemical engineering degree (Arizona State University, summa cum laude) and a PhD in biochemistry (UC San Diego), followed by years leading discovery teams at therapeutics companies and applied machine-learning work. At Cadens she checks every measurement and model result against the project's quality rules: steady operation at each setting, outliers flagged, records complete.