New York City Testing Turbines As Source Of Power

Washington Post:

On a recent morning, a crane sank a 16-foot rotor into the waters of the East River and divers swam deep to bolt it to the bottom. By early evening, as the northerly current sped up, the rotor began to spin, a big thunk sounded in the control room, a green light went on, and electricity began to pour into a nearby supermarket.

The scene represents an experiment in tidal power, using turbines that look like underwater windmills, and it is the first of its kind nationwide and one of only a few such pilot projects in the world.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[ccpostman]

I like these way better than wind turbines that stand hundreds of feet in the air.

No eye pollution.

The wind turbines are getting to big and ugly now!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/queen-offshore-wind-turbine-power-clipper.php

[rwe]

How about off Hyannesport????Oh no that would ruin Teddy and Kerry's view.

[mathme]

Underwater view?

[KillTheMessenger]

Please don't feed the trolls. Not even under water.

[amantell]

Bloomberg should be given credit for his efforts to make the city a better place to live in, not derided by the local tabloids. Citizens of our fair city constantly demand improvements, and when our mayor offers useful innovations, the naysayers try to tear him down. I say, good for Mayor Mike. I hope he finds a way circumnavigate the two-term limit law. New York needs a real leader like him.

[GetoffMylawn]

Love the new fish chopper.

[MajorKong]

There are fish in the East River?

[sandiegoconservative]

That's what I was thinking. And even if there are fish, I do not even want to know what they look like.

[JScott]

That's what I'm wondering, looks like they might have to put screens around them so they'll be like giant household fans.

[ccpostman]

Blades do not rotate that fast.

Tide does not move super fast to rotate the blades fast enough to kill fish.

If you want a fish chopper, try one of the many dam turbines that spin extremely fast and makes cat food out of any fish that gets sucked in.

These are better.

[KillTheMessenger]

I think it comes out to be about 20-30rpm. The claim is that won't hurt marine life. I am willing to believe that for small fish etc.. But if you are a diver, a dolphin or a whale, the only way to stay alive is to keep your distance.

[Gasparilla]

Great concept. Perhaps something along the coast of Maine? The tides run high and fast there and in neighboring Canada. I tend to think that global warming is not simply a matter of buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. I think it also has a lot to do with the destruction of forests worldwide and their subsequent replacement with buildings and asphalt, both of which tend to hold heat into the evening. It's a proven fact that urban areas have a much higher average temperature than rural areas. I have a metal roof on my house, it's a little more expensive, but it throws off a lot of the heat due to it's reflective ability. Perhaps we can experiment with reflective paints on buildings and roofs. They already make them. A coating on a highway could also be possible.

We also need to discuss the issue of overpopulation in contributing to global warming. In this country overpopulation is being driven mainly by immigration, although groups like the Sierra Club like to pretend it's not.

[KillTheMessenger]

The best way to cool cities and make them more livable are trees. It is absolutely amazing how a row of trees with dense canopy can change a street and offer cooling for both people and buildings. I happen to work on such a street and on the hottest summer days one can walk under the trees on one side of the road without breaking a sweat while being on the other side amounts to pure torture because the asphalt reflects most of the heat.

http://www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives/tpl/sec17.htm

[Gasparilla]

I agree, but there are only so many spots you can put trees in some areas, and trees cannot cover a multistory building. And asphalt does reflect heat, as does sand, but it also absorbs a lot because it's black and that remains longer after the sand or natural area has given up the heat after sundown.

[ccpostman]

What about this new idea for cooling cities and global warming...

http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2008/09/12/white_roofs/

[mamacat]

It is good to see that we humans are able to use our technological know how for something besides making war.

Flowing water, dropping water, wind, sunlight, temperature differentials, all can be tapped to safely generate electricity without contributing signifigantly to co2 buildup in our atmosphere.

[Mort]

First? Man has been harnessing water power for eons in one form or another. This is just a clever new "spin"! ;)