Underwater Kites: Minesto's 'Deep Green' Wave Energy Project Scores Prototype Funding (PICTURE)

From EarthTechling's Caleb Denison:

In the world of clean energy, kites have have become a big deal. Recent advances in technology have lifted ideas like high-altitude wind turbine kites, parakite farms and ship-towing kites off the ground and made them a viable, wind-powered option as clean energy sources. Kites can harness more than just the wind, though.

It was just last year that we covered a story about kites flying under the sea to harness tidal energy. Now, Minesto, the company behind that under-sea kite project called "Deep Green," has announced they've received over $560,000 from The Carbon Trust to dive forward with deploying a prototype of their technology. If their trial is successful, it could lead to a large-scale implementation of underwater kites around the UK coastline that the company says would generate enough juice (530 GWh) to power all of the homes in a city the size of Newcastle (population 189,863) by 2020.

Image via Minesto

These under-sea kites harness the power of oceanic forces in much the same way that land-based kites capture wind energy. As this article from SmartPlanet illustrates, a rudder-controlled kite "flies" through the deep ocean in a figure eight pattern, capturing and magnifying wave energy as water passes through, then channels it through a turbine which sends the power to a generator located below on the sea floor. Because the motion of the kite against the current can intensify the power of the ocean current by a magnitude of 10, this device can work effectively, even in less-than-vigorous waters. That enhances its potential globally and makes it a serious contender in the race for sustainable, renewable energy.

The renewed support Minesto received from The Carbon Trust is an indication of the support that awaits the right energy project. As part of the funding announcement, Benj Sykes, Director of Innovations at the Carbon Trust, said: "Minesto's Deep Green is a very exciting technology as it could provide a step change reduction in the cost of tidal energy and open up swathes of the UK's coast to generating electricity. Tidal energy has the potential to produce up to 18 terawatt hours of electricity, equivalent to over 5% of the UK's electricity consumption."

Comments

[vetxcl]

05:02 PM on 05/10/2011

There are also projects occuring here in the U.S. despite big oil and coal opposition. For example: http://cleantechnica.com/2010/10/05/u-s-navy-and-marine-corps-get-first-ever-grid-connected-wave-energy/

[miloiki]

08:23 PM on 04/03/2011

I want one for my bath tub>

[Deborah Henry Hintze]

05:23 PM on 04/03/2011

What if the kites were constructed out of recycled plastic from the Pacific and Atlantic garbage patches, and were small and far enough apart not to inhibit freedom and migration of sea creatures?

[PRONESE]

05:56 AM on 03/29/2011

Underwater Kites? Ummm OK, Fine...
Dilbert's Take... Link: http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2011-03-29/
More Coffee...
R/ PRONESE

[CabCurious]

02:13 PM on 03/28/2011

I continue to remain skeptical when our harnessing of some types of natural energy seems to be envisioned without considering the IMPACT on nature.

When you literally suck the energy out of natural systems, you change the system.

It's renewable, not infinite.

I can't imagine how large scale tidal projects won't have equally massive environmental impacts. We rushed to harness the power of water, often without seriously considering the consequences.

I believe 100% in renewable energy, but let's learn our lessons about human hubris.

[CabCurious]

02:36 PM on 03/28/2011

I can imagine the future AP stories:

Scientist claims tidal-energy program off the coast may have caused regional fluid dynamics partially responsible for the collapse of the Atlantic's gulf stream. In a recent study, the scientist suggest that the tidal-energy programs helped to trigger the collapse along with the influx of cold water from the melting glaciers.

"The currents were already trembling and the large scale disruption of tidal energy pushed it beyond the breaking point. This ice age was entirely instigated by humans. They thought there was a safe amount of energy they could extract from these deep ocean currents and they were wrong."

[2moons]

01:20 AM on 03/28/2011

Great idea. Tidal Power sounds fantastic and smart. I would like to see scientists/engineers develop technologies that can harness the energy of tsunamis, earthquakes, eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, solar deserts, ice storms/blizzards, etc...the powerful natural disasters that cripple and destroy societies.

[butchcliff]

01:15 PM on 03/27/2011

All 3 types of energy producing turbines will soon be used. Wave(kites),thermal(temp) & tidal.
In the Bay of Fundy there are testing Tidal energy. Have to have large tide changes to use
this type. B of F has some of the highest & have been studying & building these turbines

[mamacat]

03:44 AM on 03/27/2011

There is a huge amount of kinetic energy in the oceans just waiting to tapped into -- what are we waiting for? Another nuclear plant disaster?

[Genders]

07:25 PM on 03/26/2011

I like it, They had better make them positive buoyancy so they don't dig themselves into the ocean floor when there is no current, but I hope they already thought of that.

[Moder8tion]

02:49 PM on 03/28/2011

Their webpage doesn't have much info. I was curious about that also. I wondered what depths they will operate at and how shallow the water has to be to have good tidal currents.

There will have to be large areas zoned no fishing.

[No stinking fans]

03:24 PM on 03/26/2011

Bill O'Reilly is sure to find this to be sacrilegious.

[TBrennan]

12:17 PM on 03/26/2011

What a very cool idea. I'm no scientist but it makes great sense to me.

[iLuvKOSHi]

11:33 AM on 03/26/2011

Interesting. I don't yet understand it's implications for marine life, but, so far, it looks like a promising idea. I believe in working WiTH nature and harnessing what it already provides rather than over-manipulating or perverting it in the name of so-called "progress". I also believe in diversifying resources (wind, water, sun, poop!) so as to not deplete any one store.

[Foodgrade]

12:25 AM on 03/28/2011

They are passive, and covers over the intakes can protect marine life. My worry is that marine life will like them so much that they will become encrusted. I wonder what the maintenance costs will be just to keep them clean. They will have to float to reduce cleaning cost. Any time divers are designed in the costs are very high. So I wonder about buoyancy change.

[CabCurious]

02:22 PM on 03/28/2011

Don't worry!

Industrial scale tidal-wave energy programs will be PERFECTLY safe. No negative impact. We will not change or harm the environment at all. We have everything under control.

Right?

We're going to suck municipal/industrial amounts of tidal energy from the coast with massive farms of rotors and equipment without causing any changes to the environment. DON'T WORRY AT ALL!!!

:(

[TYRANNASAURUS]

06:05 PM on 03/25/2011

Great idea.....but it's too little way too late.....at this point it's impossible to catch up to the down grading of this planet.

[Genders]

07:26 PM on 03/26/2011

Nah, that's too pessimistic. The USA may not do it, but the rest of the world is racing towards green energy.

[mamacat]

03:48 AM on 03/27/2011

According the the DOE's 2005 data, California produced 20% of its electrical needs from non-hydro renewables in that year, more than what it produced from the nuclear reactors in the state.
In can be done, if we have the political will to fight Big Oil and the coal companies.

[Foodgrade]

12:27 AM on 03/28/2011

The U.S. makes almost nothing and will be balkanized soon by the countries buying up the land and the debt. There will be radical changes in policy then... after the civil war.

[Eris23Skidoo]

05:36 PM on 03/25/2011

So what do we need nuclear and coal for, again?

[moutonnoir]

01:56 AM on 03/26/2011

centralized generation is appealing to oligarchy

[Robco1]

04:11 PM on 03/27/2011

Great point. Coal, oil, and nuclear all enjoy large barriers of entry for potential competition, insulating the fossil fuel and nuclear fission-based energy utilities from competition. Less competition = more profit.

As for what's best for the general welfare, (you know, the thing the U.S. Government is supposed to be looking out for?), decentralized power generation from multiple sources that doesn't pollute our air and water or wreck the climate might be a little better.

[Kenz300]

04:10 PM on 03/25/2011

The world needs to focus its research and development on clean, safe alternative energy.