WESGen® was invented by Stephen Weston, founder of In River Hydro Ltd. It began as a submersible prototype tested on the River Wyre in Lancashire, was adapted into a floating system and tested on the River Tame in Greater Manchester, and in 2026 a larger prototype rotor was tested on the River Dane in Cheshire.

In River Hydro Ltd was formed in 2025 to take the technology to market. WESGen® is protected by a comprehensive patent application covering the core design and multiple embodiments for future development, including clamp-on units for offshore wind turbine columns and rigs.

The project holds High Export Potential status from the UK Department for Business and Trade, and was named Startup of the Year at the Green Expo Awards 2023.

The next step is commissioning trials of commercial configurations, from 5 kW homestead units to multi-megawatt floating hydro farms.