Maybe... If We're Given Another Chance... We Could Try Things Like This Instead ???

[WillyT]

The Swedish start-up Minesto (Saab Spin-off) is working on a new kind of underwater turbine, called "Deep Green." Here's how it works: You tether this kite-like apparatus to the ocean floor, at a depth of anywhere from 60 to 150 meters. Then, as a tide or current pushes against the kite, it moves from side to side because its wings create a lift force. As it moves, water flows through a turbine in the kite. And because it's moving, the velocity of the flow of water through the turbine can be 10 times the surrounding stream flow, according to Minesto. Here's an animation.

In theory, Deep Green should be much cheaper to install and maintain than other wave-power technologies, beause these things are relatively small. Each kite's wingspan is about 40 feet. And tidal power is attractive because it's predictable. It should produce 500 kilowatts of power when it's working. To put that into perspective, the average American home uses about 11,040 kilowatt-hours each year. So one of these kites, working for an hour, could supply about two weeks worth of power for the average home.

Minesto just raised more than $2.5 million to run a trial off the coast of Northern Ireland in 2011 (pdf). They're hoping to make Deep Green commercially available within four years.

And if they don't work, at least they won't destroy our coast when they break.

Link: http://www.good.is/post/deep-green-kite-based-tidal-power/

More: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/011152.html

:shrug:

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Interesting. Wonder what the impact to sea life would be?

[Ron Green]

2. Probably more benign than millions of gallons of crude oil.

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. Point taken.

[Dr Morbius]

3. Wouldn't there be a risk of underwater animals breaking the kites or the tethers?

What about flotsam and jetsam? And I remember my own experience with kites; what keeps these underwater kites from crashing?

I'm intrigued, but these questions would need answers before I could get on board with a test project. I'd like to see the results of the pilot program off N. Ireland.

[Tesha]

7. Well, as long as the project manager isn't named Charlie Brown...

[Sherman A1]

4. Interesting idea

[jp11]

5. Eventually that could be fine, if it works etc.

Though I'd rather see a push for technology to get those that can get off combustion engines to reduce the need/demand for oil products. Planes, trucks, boats are probably going to be the longer term holdouts people who don't drive far to work should be able to buy a reasonably priced reliable electric car that has at least a 250mile range, preferably it wouldn't have to look like a golf cart.

Cheaper/better methods of home heating would be another welcome change that I'd like to see in order to decrease oil and gas use.

[hedgehog]

8. This is where electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen comes in.

Hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells seem to be the energy source for transportation.

[stevenleser]

11. No good. Water is a scarce resource throughout much of the world

Anything that eats up fresh water is a non-starter.

[hedgehog]

13. but if you start with ocean water.......maybe use the power to

desalinate water as well.

[Romulox]

17. Water covers 75% of the face of the planet. No need for it to be fresh.

The real problem is that the process described is a net energy loser.

[stevenleser]

18. In addition, if we use salt water, we have other problems.

Salt is pretty corrosive to materials and machinery. It's likely that saltwater would need to be distilled prior to undergoing the additional chemical process to extract the hydrogen and saltwater distillation is extremely energy intensive.

[polichick]

6. What's so sad about the U.S. is that there are millions of people who actually...

...take pride in damaging the earth - it's as if treating the earth without respect makes them feel powerful.

Thanks for posting - so interesting and beautiful!

[WillyT]

9. You Are Quite Welcome !!!

:hi:

[1monster]

10. Unfortunately, life does not grant us "Do overs"................

[WillyT]

14. Morning Kick !!!

:kick:

[Shireling]

15. The solutions are so simple

I dislike hearing that "we" are addicted to oil. The oil CEOs are addicted to GREED. We would be perfectly happy using electric generated from solar panels or windmills or underwater turbines. However, using electric generated from coal extracted from 300 million year-old Appalachian mountaintops IS NOT GOING GREEN.

Also, I have heard that during WWII oil was cut off from Germany, and Germany responded by using a synthetic oil, and got along just fine. We could do the same.

OIL CEO'S AND THOSE HEAVILY INVESTED IN OIL ARE ADDICTED TO GREED. The average person wants a beautiful planet, clean water, clean air, beautiful coastlines, beautiful streams, and mountains without the tops blow off of them.

What we are doing to this planet makes me so sad. :cry:

[Romulox]

16. I'm always dubious of such things. I'm no physicist, but I don't foresee any "free lunch"

being discovered any time soon.