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March 29, 2005

Underwater Windmills

Given the high rate of asthma and generally crappy air quality in the city, this is one of the alternative energy projects that I'm really rooting for: underwater windmills that are powered by nothing more than the tide coming in and out in the East River.

It seems like a relatively simple concept, so it's odd that "tidal power" is still in its infancy. Then again, given that any new energy technology needs tons of venture capital and government support, and our current legislative agenda favors oil (say that with Texas accent -- sounds like "all") and other ancient, polluting, global-warming-inducing power technology, it's not all that surprising. Pilot projects aimed at harnessing tidal power in England and elsewhere have been successful, but the kinks still need to be worked out.

Professor Jameel Ahmad, of the Cooper Union Engineering Department, gave an entertaining lecture at Cooper last week about the tidal power project that will make its East River debut this May. The project was spearheaded by the start-up Verdant Power and is proceeding with help from Cooper students and government agencies set up to support such ventures. Though the tides in the ocean are arguably stronger, the hope is that installing the turbines in the East River will make more of a media splash, especially once the six pilot turbines start powering a Roosevelt Island grocery store (an eventual goal).

Here's how it works. A missile-like tube contains a turbine, and a three-armed fan rotates slowly in the water. The contraption sits entirely underwater and turns around based on which direction the tide is moving. The top will be about six feet from the surface, and divers will be used to perform installation and maintenance. The area will be marked by bouys so large boats don't interfere.

My first thought after hearing the basics went something like this:

But the truth is that the arms of this thing spins far too slowly to make "sushi" (Professor Ahmad's word) -- there's about one revolution every two seconds. There is also evidence that "fish are not stupid" and can sense the change in pressure and avoid the area. Still, the environmental impact has yet to be measured. The Verdant group had to cut thought miles of red tape to get permission to put anything in the water at all. As Professor Ahmad explained, corporations grandfathered into environmental protection laws can suck up water, heat it up, and put it back -- killing thousands of fish in the process -- and nobody says boo. But introducing something new, even if it's eco-friendly at the core, is very difficult.

If this effort can maintain its financing, continue to secure permission to operate, and if the pilot project is successful, we could eventually have "farms" of underwater windmills generating power. Unlike big hydro power (dams), an eco-system isn't disrupted and no huge construction projects have to take place. Unlike traditional power sources, nothing is burned or used up in the process and there are no harmful waste products. Even if there is some unforeseen environmental impact, turbines would be relatively harmless compared to the combined effects of drilling for oil in the ocean, transporting it, refining it, and burning it.

Hopefully the popular interest in hybrids and conservation these days will fuel the development of this project (and fund solutions to any environmental problems that do arise). It kills me to think that if we hadn't dropped out of the Kyoto treaty, the U.S. would be required to invest in projects like this (instead, Canada has all the fun). New York State is doing something, at least. Every little step away from oil-dependence counts.

Posted by csageday at March 29, 2005 12:02 AM

Comments

Posted by: D at March 29, 2005 11:44 AM