BioPower systems has re-thought wave power generation. Up to now, many ocean and tidal power systems have looked a lot like wind turbines.  But water is hundreds of times heavier and thus more powerful than wind. Rapid motion is not necessary, it's the torque, or the power behind that rotation, where the ocean's real power lives.

So they've created two new designs for ocean power generation, both of which harness the low-motion, high-torque power of water. Both designs were taken directly from nature: a sharks tail and a kelp head. Over the last hundred million years, the tails of sharks have managed to become 90% efficient in transferring power to energy. The BioStream generator doesn't just look like a shark's tail, it moves like a shark's tail. As water streams past the fin, the fin slowly changes pitch so arm sways back and forth which runs a generator in the base of the system.

In addition to their radical new designs for ocean power, BioPower has designed a new mooring specifically to be used with these power generation systems. The mooring doesn't need to be as substantial as traditional underwater turbines because both systems have simple storm mitigation measures (the kelp lays flat, the shark fin disengages the generator and just lets the ocean push it around.) So, the mooring is less expensive but still more than powerful enough to keep the generators in place through even the worst weather.

These designs are completely out of sight, inexpensive, slow moving, safe, have a minimal impact on the sea floor, can be used in concert with wind turbins, and produce a significant amount of power. Get ready, ocean power is coming.

 

More pictures after the Jump

 

Via WorldChanging