Some of the leading innovators in technology have been recently lead to get some pointers from nature’s most successful creatures to maximize human energy efficiency in National Geographic’s Biomimicry Pictures.
via cosmictoquantum
tidal
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India’s first tidal power plant gets the go ahead
Even with its potential for providing predictable and sustainable electricity generation with no visual impact, tidal power still accounts for only a fraction of a percent of the world’s total electricity generation. That is slowly changing though, with numerous tidal power plants being constructed or planned for coastlines around the world. India is the latest country to wade into the tidal power waters with the announcement of its first commercial scale tidal current power plant to be constructed in the Indian State of Gujarat.
Following a recent economic and technical study of prime sites in the Gulf of Kutch by Atlantis Resources Corporation, which yielded the discovery of as much as 300MW of economically extractable tidal power resources, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narenda Modi, this week approved a 50MW tidal power project to be constructed in the Gulf of Kutch.
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Key to ocean-wave power: keep your generators dry (i.e. on land)
Pulling almost unlimited energy from the ocean’s waves, tides, and currents isn’t a new quest. But Aquamarine Power’s Oyster takes a simple approach that may just find that holy grail.
So far, harnessing ocean power has been tough, due the sea’s brutal, machine-crushing operating environment. (Turns out Neptune’s an angry, vengeful god.) But Aquamarine has a solution:
The key is the Oyster’s simplicity. It’s basically a giant hinged flap pushed by wave energy, with just seven pieces — two hydraulic pumps, four valves and a hinge — that send pressurized water ashore. Once there, this water drives a turbine, making the Oyster’s power-generating guts more like a typical hydroelectric power plant than any ocean-energy idea tested to date.
Moving pressurized water ashore, and not electricity itself, keeps the transmission equipment — the generator, converters, transformers and other equipment that doesn’t mix well with water — high and dry on land.
The firm hopes to shuck enough Oysters to generate 200 megawatts, in a proposed ocean energy farm off Scotland’s Orkney Islands, by 2013.
Via Aquamarine Power
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Great idea: tidal, river, current generated hydro-power.
Hell, why not hook these things up with some windmills above water too!
Now how to avoid killing fish…
…and, comes in an amazing portable size!
…“Bourne’s militarized Backpack Power Plant-Type 2 (BPP-2) measures only 3 feet in length and weighs less than 25 pounds, approximately 10% lighter than the original BPP-1. Like its civilian predecessor it is self-contained with its own integrated power, control, cooling and sensor systems. The unit collapses into three major parts which slide into a large backpack. The BPP-2 produces up to 20% more power (600W) and can be set up singularly or in arrays of over 20 kW. The BPP-2, which operates silently with no heat or exhaust emissions, is 40% less visible during operation and can also be bottom mounted to be totally invisible.
The BackPack Power Plant - Type 1 (BPP-1) is a man-portable renewable energy generator only 3 feet in length and weighing less than 30 pounds. Each unit is self-contained with its own integrated power, control, cooling and sensor systems. The unit collapses into a backpack size module with the generator, hub and folded blades stored inside. The unit produces approximately 500 W/unit high quality continuous power depending on river current. The BackPack Power Plant can be set up singularly or in arrays of over 30 kW.”
http://www.bourneenergy.com/futuremain.html
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America’s first wave farm, coming soon to an ocean near you
Every continent, almost by definition, is surrounded mostly by oceans. Big, powerful, wave-filled oceans. Harnessing the energy of waves has recently moved out of science-fiction and into reality as Oregon gets America’s first wave park.
Ocean Power Technologies is building a wave park off the coast of Reedsport, Oregon. When complete in 2012, the wave park will have 10 PowerBuoys, each of which can generate up to 150 kiloWatts. The project will deliver enough energy for 375 homes.
The 150-foot tall buoys are mostly submerged. The buoy moves up and down and the wave motion moves a long piston up and down, which in turn, drives a generator. They can generate power in waves ranging from 5 feet to 23 feet high. All ten buoys can share one underground cable back to dry land, and the whole array can be placed in a 30-acre space.
Currently, wave technology is more expensive than wind power, due to the complications of dealing with the untamed ocean, but in the long run, wave parks can be more affordable, predictable and constant than either wind or solar. (It should be noted that Oregon’s first attempt at wave farming from another company sank two years ago.) Plus, there doesn’t seem to be as many objections to wave parks as there are to wind farms. Would you want one off your coast?