| World's Largest Tidal Turbine: First Pictures! |
| Written by Hank Green | ||
| Tuesday, 20 May 2008 | ||
|
But recently Marine Current Turbines successfully completed the installation of the world's first megawatt-scale tidal turbine. And now we've got the first images of the turbine installed to prove it. The 1000 ton SeaGen tidal turbine was secured to the seabed and linked with Northern Ireland's electric grid. MCT will now spend about 12 weeks testing the capabilities of the turbine before regularly feeding power into the grid. Tidal power has several advantages over wind. The power generation is more predictable (since you always know when the tide will turn) and it is believed that they will have less ecological impacts...since roads do not need to be built to them. There hasn't been enough data yet to determine what affects they will have on marine life.
     
Comments
(60)
Slice and Dice
written by Jon Harms , May 20, 2008
Looks like a giant belender for slicing and dicing whales, seals, dolphins etc etc, dont think this will go over very well/
It's not a blender, jon
written by alex , May 20, 2008
http://www.marineturbines.com/...al_impact/
10 to 15 rpms isn't going to chop anything up. fish can avoid these things. you probably rant against windmills because a bird get's killed.
...
written by z , May 20, 2008
damn you Jon, and people like you... friggin negative nancys all of you!!
as if whales, seals and dolphins don't have eyes to see the thing spinning slowly..
Tip velocity
written by Mick , May 20, 2008
16 Meter diameter at 20 rpm is about 37 mph at the rotor tips.
...
written by arvind , May 20, 2008
take a couple of trawlers out of circulation. even out the impact.
or put a cage around the blades - only little fishies get hurt. or sit there and cry "waaaaaaaah .. pore ole fishies" while your energy provider spews another ton of carbon into the air to keep you house warm and computer running.
It's not a blender, Alex, it is a bludge
written by Sam , May 20, 2008
Going by the size specifications on the website and your rpm values, the tips of the blades are moving at about 35 miles per hour. I think that packs a bit of a punch, yeah?
C=2(pi)r=2 x 10m x 3.14 =62.8m , 62.8 x 15rpm = 942m/min, 942/60min per sec = 15.7m/s =35miles/hour Birds have eyes, but they're still getting killed by windmills. In summation: this is an accident waiting to happen.
Fastballs don't kill
written by Bill , May 20, 2008
Considering that baseballs occasionally hit baseball players about 75-100 mi/hr and don't kill the players, I would venture to guess that the 35 mi/hr tip might bruise but would probably not kill.
On the other hand, if it's sharp, it might slice.
girthy johnson
written by girthy johnson , May 20, 2008
Cant wait to see the images of the first submarine to get stuck in it!.
Fastballs don't carry as much energy
written by Donald , May 20, 2008
A car that hits your while traveling at 35mph could very well kill you. Don't compare apples to marsupials. The mass of an item determines how much impact damage that it creates.
...
written by pierre , May 20, 2008
Put a friggin cage around it, dummies!
...
written by Dr. William Bennett , May 20, 2008
The last large tidal generator that was built caused a noticable slowdown in the earth's rotation. This will be no different. Extracting energy from the tidal current flow will have a severe cost.
Who cries for fish?
written by Fishmonger , May 20, 2008
What is wrong with your fish evangelists!? do you weep in front of the fish stall at the local markets? Idiots! Cage it or collect the fish bits for consumption, but spare us the fish love angst.
The end is nigh!!
written by Prof. Crack Pot , May 20, 2008
Not only does it slow the earth down, eventually it will reverse the spin of the earth. When this happens gravity will reverse and we will fly into outer-space and time will begin to flow backward! Oh Noes!
Sushi?
written by robert , May 20, 2008
Well, it looks like these things are not that far off the coast so I am guessing that a whale will only find their way into one as they head to shore to beach themselves. Small fish can swim fast enough not to be bothered by them, even stuck your hand in a fish tank, the buggers are quick. Dolphins I believe have the speed and most likely smarts to avoid them. Seals do not tend to hang around moving objects and I would assume there are none int he areas these are placed. Sharks the same thing, not in the area and if so can move fast enough to move around the blades if they come close. What you really have to worry about is the green peace people whole will go out into the water to protest the no harm being done to fish and they themselves being slow bulky and dumb getting chopped into sushi for the fish to enjoy, that is the real concern.
-Cheers
...
written by jhay , May 20, 2008
What? Tidal turbines can slow down the Earth's rotation?!
Are there any studies to back this claim? Really, this is the first time I heard of such a thing.
Desufnoc
written by Nam_Desrever , May 20, 2008
!si ti naht ylsuoires erom raf nekat eb dluohs sihT
?elbacilppa yrev emoceb reve lliw siht fi rednow I :p !stragnoc dna siht sdaer reveohw @ ZLOL
...
written by cage , May 20, 2008
just cage it and be done with it
Commenter
written by Commenter , May 20, 2008
You commenters are idiots, seriously.
Congarts?
written by Forward Nam , May 20, 2008
What's a congart?
...
written by another commentor , May 20, 2008
comments like the ones above are why a blog can never be taken seriously.
Putting a cage around a spinning blade in water disrupts the waterflow while adding complexity and weight to the whole unit. Do they put cages around wind turbines? Of course not because it's a terrible idea. And it would seem to me most of you have no idea what even causes tidal movement of water. In which case, well, you shouldn't bother commenting on articles like this. You can't extract energy out of a system for free. Do they still teach basic science in school? You couldn't tell reading some of these inane comments.
unanswered question
written by Nay Nay , May 20, 2008
OK... seriously, how could that thing slow down/disrupt the rotation of the earth? What do tidal movements have to do with the earth spinning?
...
written by Nay Nay , May 20, 2008
p.s. please save all pretentious put downs... sorry not everyone is as edumacated as you all knowing "commentors"
Buncha Nancys
written by BillinDetroit , May 20, 2008
Good post and thank you. Where'd you get the commenters, though?
This thing has about as much chance of slowing the earth down as the shoreline behind it. The energy it extracts is subtracted not from the whole, but from the energy that would have been stopped at the shore if it had not been absorbed further out. Sheesh ... the internet is an international communications medium -- didn't anybody finish high school?
not long-term answer
written by Dave , May 21, 2008
I dont think energy sources such as wind and current are a reliable long term solution. That energy that is converted would otherwise contribute to a warming or cooling in another region and by harnessing it, we are only disrupting these natural cycles. Changing weather patterns can affect temperatures globally to an extreme and end up ruining crops in unforeseen ways which some may rely upon for food. All I can see is famine, floods, and storms...hate to be dismal.
Location, location, location ....
written by NickR , May 21, 2008
In the mouth of Strangford Lough, a large (150km²) shallow sea lough, the southern entrance to which is a deep channel about 8km long, called the Narrows. From Portaferry across the Narrows to Strangford is just 0.5km. About a third of the lough is intertidal.
The currents in between are extremely strong and fast - up to 8 knots (4m/s). During tidal movements there are whirl poools and all sorts, so the fish are used to watching out for themselves already. This is potentially a sustainable solution for the area, in that it makes best use of local circumstances and knowledge. It would only be transferable to areas with similar geography, and is not a general tidal solution!
...
written by guy , May 21, 2008
Well, I'm sad to say this, but for once I'm glad that the people in the comments area won't have a say in what happens regarding this project. Just like I don't have a say whether a multi national billion dollar corporation can go off shore and stick an oil rig or not.
So let them cry and complain about Whales as if they actually cared, but nobody will give a damn about what they're saying. Sad as it is, maybe this is how human kind will move forward on certain issues.
...
written by guy , May 21, 2008
Well, I'm sad to say this, but for once I'm glad that the people in the comments area won't have a say in what happens regarding this project. Just like I don't have a say whether a multi-national billion-dollar oil corporation can go off shore and stick an oil rig on the sea floor or not.
So let them cry and complain about Whales as if they actually cared, but nobody will give a damn about what they're saying. Sad as it is, maybe this is how human kind will move forward on certain issues: through strong headed, forceful actions.
Hm.
written by Bassman , May 21, 2008
If this was my site, based on what I see here, I'd discontinue the ability to comment.
Marine Life Endangerment? Caged Props
written by Tim , May 21, 2008
Two comments:
1. If whales, sharks, and generally all marine life worth looking out for can navigate the expanse of the ocean by use of their senses (to position themselves using magnetic and electric fields, water temperature and turbulence, etc.) they can avoid a big ole, turbulence causing, electricity producing, magnetic field altering turbine. 2. A cage is a good idea anyway, it won't affect this thing and they are used on many, many high RPM propeller driven under water devices with minimal affect.
...
written by seattle , May 21, 2008
id like to see an official source of some type regarding the slowing down of the earths rotation because of these generators. William bennett, do you have a source for your claim? also I agree that the fish arent likely to be taken out by rotor, but i wonder how the noise or electric current created would affect sea life.
joke
written by j , May 21, 2008
alright the whole slowing down the earths rotation was a joke. relax people
Awesome - Won't kill as many fish as an
written by G , May 21, 2008
Awesome - Won't kill as many fish as an oil spill...
Joke?
written by bryan , May 21, 2008
Whew, thanks for clearing up that "stop the earth" problem. Now what are we going to do about the moon flying off into outer space?
...
written by Dan , May 22, 2008
Fastballs don't kill
written by Bill , May 20, 2008 Considering that baseballs occasionally hit baseball players about 75-100 mi/hr and don't kill the players, I would venture to guess that the 35 mi/hr tip might bruise but would probably not kill. True story. Fastballs also don't have a ton of momentum.
In the know
written by Scottish tidal generator fan , May 23, 2008
First things first, just to clarify the rotors will actually be moving at 12rpm (I know people, who know people that are working on the project). Going on that basis, the actual speed at the rotor tips is as follows: (I've made sure this is in feet and inches seen as it's an American website)
So, 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet meaning the circumference = 16*3.2808399*pi = 164.913 feet MPH = (C*RPM*60)/5280 = (164.913*12*60)/5280 = (118737.3603)/5280 = 22.488136... = 22.49 MPH (Not 35 or 37) Moving on, why are people so concerned about these “poor” fish? Couple of questions for you, did you enjoy your sushi last night? How about that fish supper that you ate? (Scottish reference there). Yes, it’s a crying shame that we are making progress with green energy by sacrificing the “poor” fish (sarcasm). Fish have been over farmed for years, has anything changed? Fish farming = dead fish. Furthermore, fish farming kills fish but think about it, are the boats doing anything good for the environment? I think not. So, to conclude on that matter, a tidal generator killing a few fish for greener energy is a good thing from the planets perspective. In addition, the cage idea isn’t as good as people think. The amount of sediment, seaweed and other rubbish in the sea would soon block flow to the tidal generator, thus rendering it useless. But wait a minute, can’t these cages can be cleaned? The answer is yes. But, how often will this need to be done? Every 6 months? Every Month? Every Day? Who knows? Sure, there will be maintenance work on these generators, but why cost in cleaning of a cage? It seems pointless to me. So, all that is left to say is “MON THE TIDAL GENERATORS!!!” (Translation: “May the tidal generators have a long and prosperous future”)
it's its
written by Mark , May 23, 2008
its infancy
Wake up
written by Incredulous , May 24, 2008
I love how all the naysayers will attack a form of green energy by evoking images of the collateral damage to fish or birds, when their SUVs and other unhealthy habits have been destroying habitats and suffocating the Earth for decades. Serious. Let's think about the kind of progress that this is and not slam it because of its potential to mess with fish.
You'll notice that it's also been built in a really strong tidal current, where lingering fish and other animals aren't going to be just hanging around. That's what makes it a good energy source. The tidal activity.
Excellent Technology
written by OmegaVector , May 24, 2008
I applaud this new technology. Technically it will slow the earth's rotation and the moon's orbit which causes the tides, but it would probably take millions of years to measure any effect. It would happen any way over time due to new land formations being the inhibitive force instead of metal screws. When speaking of slowing the earth and the moon, you need to realize what kind of immense power levels you are actually talking about. The moon has been dragging our planet's water up and down and over the rough ocean and tidal floors for a very loooooong time. Our adding a few pieces of metal to intercept that massive energy flux is almost nothing comparatively, but the power output capabilities for us are staggering because we are so small and insignificant when comparisons are drawn to gravitational forces.
Wave Power in Washington State
written by Emmett , May 24, 2008
This is really exciting. Here in the USA we have a pilot project in Makah Bay, Washington State.
The key for sustainable energy is diversify: Solar, Wind, Wave, Hydro, Bio-Fuels.
noticable slowdown in the earth's rotati
written by TW , May 27, 2008
Do all the cars driving on the planet cause noticable slowdown in the earth's rotations as well? I wonder if the Earth is really flat and we never landed on the moon after all.
 I certainly hope that was a joke I mean it made me laugh, but just cause it was so absurdly stoopid. 
...
written by TW , May 27, 2008
Aside from jokes, I think this is a very innovative solution to our growing problems. We live in a world that is built on instant self gratification and over consumption without "true" regard to the inevitable consequences. Everything has a price, and now we're finally seeing what that is. I think this is a good step in the right direction, finally.
...
written by Billy , May 29, 2008
FREE WILLY!
Kudos!
written by James , May 29, 2008
I LUV WILLY!
...
written by Lolz , May 29, 2008
I agree...free willy indeed
Lol lol lol
written by Joe , May 29, 2008      
...
written by Natovr , May 30, 2008
Really good idea! Stumbled
If you guys are SO worried about poor fishies getting hurt, do something! Ask the coucils responsible if they couldn't just put a lil cage around the things. The little fish will get through, but the current flowing around the turbines will just sweep them through.
doh.
written by Pete , May 30, 2008
Want to save sharks and whales then ask the Japs and Norwegians to stop hunting them. Tidal turbines will cut the earth's rotation etc. - I see idiots they are everywhere. sorry but some people here really are just too stupid to have access to a keyboard.
Slowing Down the Earth's Rotation
written by Anonymous , May 31, 2008
I think it's just super that someone actually thinks this turbine is going to slow down the Earth's rotation...
just imagine if everyone drove east at the same time! You make me lol.
possibilities for tidal power
written by John B Brown , June 01, 2008
The reefs in Lochs and Fiords in the world are great sites. There is also the possibility of using the power source that has set Iceland free of petroleum dependence; geothermal power.
The idea that the insignificant reduction in tidal flows by power turbines is even close to the reduction afforded by a hard winter surface freeze is ludicrous to contemplate. Such absurdities! Please, do not exhibit your complete ignorance of geography, physics, and any connection with reality in the universe. I'm happy to see the designers have a firm connection with reality; no cages! Theory is no proper replacement for reality.
...
written by Really? , June 02, 2008
ok i know this is only a comments board but:
1. The angle lag of the tides and the moon is naturally causing the earth to "leak" angular moment to the moon through torque. i.e. the earth is very gradually slowing down and the orbit of the moon is moving slowly away(approx 4cm/year). 2. The gravitational force from the moon (and a bit from the sun)causes Earth's tides. 3. You can't extract energy for free from a system. Combining these three together its at least a possibility that extract tidal power causes rotational slowing, however i think one extra tower off the Irish coast is not going to cause any noticeable effect(the world would have to be as dependent on tidal power as it is now on fossil fuels to see any kind of effect).
...
written by girthy johnson , June 02, 2008
Slowing down the earths rotation is such a funny notion, and for so many people to have thought it a serious comment cracks me up. But seriously, to save the whales lets put safety airbags on them so they will just bounce off the blades!!.
slice dice
written by chuck , June 03, 2008
Slice and Dice
To make the enviraholics happy, babby booties could be put on the ends of the blades to protect the blind or vision impared whales and (fishies)
OLD SCHOOL
written by Buck , June 03, 2008
Before the days of steam engines, large sawmills were run by impounding water at high tide and using an undershot wheel. This happened in Darien, GA. This type of energy extraction could be made portable and used anywhere there is a sizable tide difference and a shallow enough seabed to build the plant.
...
written by W. B. LaCroix , June 03, 2008
That sounds good to me! I have also been thinking of the undershot wheel coupled with a generator for use under bridges in many tidal inlets. The flow wouldn't have to be that great with the proper gearing.
As far as the fan shroud idea goes, a shroud is frquently used in a ducted fan situation where the "liquid" (air) runs off of the blade tips in a vertical direction in relation to the spin instead of passing through. The runoff is considered "wasted". Of course the blade chord is wider at the tips than the general concept of a double tapered blade and most often, more blades are used. This allows a larger airflow with a smaller diameter.
...
written by W. B. LaCroix , June 03, 2008
P.S. Look at the cooling fans in your computers!
Sit With Me, Share Your Candle, Naked in
written by Uncle B , June 20, 2008
Me and Henny Penny are worried that the moon may fall from the sky if too many of these devilish machines are built because they obviously interact with the moon's gravity!The fish being shredded in the blades however, will only serve to make a good cold chowder for the local bottom-feeders, who in fact may actually appreciate it.
two-in-one?
written by d0d , June 25, 2008
wow, i see from pictures it's got adjustable
blades. also if they could find a place where there's sufficient tidal movement -AND- wind, they wouldn't need to leave such a big carbon footprint smelting so much iron
Sweet
written by jim , July 19, 2008
Let's rev it up. So, a few dolphins and whales will bite the dust, but are we supposed to live like Neanderthals?
So long, and thanks for all the fish
written by Twist9 , July 29, 2008
1. The fish slaughter issue is a complex one, the blades cannot be caged unless the cage itself were to be designed according the little understood principals of fluid dynamics that would in fact either negate their own disruptive friction (which causes the current to become choppy and not effective for use with a blade-based turbine) or enhance the directional current. I'm sure it has been considered and disregarded due to the money and engineering necessary to do it. However, it is key to note that without a comprehensive study of the biodiversity profile of the area one can not say if there even are large fish in the area to be chopped up in the first place (small fish are durable).
2. Gravity is not entirely understood by physics, is created by the emission of gravitons? Is it due to the principals of relativity and the accelerating expansion of the universe? Does gravity decrease over time for all objects as their initial mass/energy succumbs to entropy? Where does the energy necessary to form a gravitational bond between two bodies of mass originate int he first place? It is all theoretical, and so unless the effect of the turbines on the gravitational interaction between the earth and moon could be studied (which would take hundreds of years) the point is a moot one. 3. This is a step in the right direction, however it is just one step. This installation is essentially just a test, though a theoretically profitable one. Many other systems have been proposed utilizing tidal energy for electrical generation. For instance, what ever happened to those fishtail and kelp-based designs for current-based generators? Could those not also be applied in high-motion tidal regions such as this one?
Turbine Style
written by Eco Home Plans , August 04, 2008
I wonder if they did any research on turbine style blades. I've seen some turbine style windmills - they work well and are visible to birds.
Charles Precht Sustainable Design www.sustainablehomeplans.com | ||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Science, technology gadgets and...baby seals. We're in a bit of an eco-mess, but we've got the brains to lick any problem. And that's why EcoGeek.org publishes up to ten stories daily about innovations that are saving the planet.
And if that sounds interesting to you, then congratulations, you're an EcoGeek.
.jpg)
Off the coast of Ireland, history was just made. While windpower is taking off, and could soon produce as much as 20% of America's power, harnessing energy from the ocean is still in it's infancy.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
