Blue Efficiency: Ocean Power for San Fransicso
Blue Efficiency: Ocean Power for San Francisco
The blue waters churning beneath the Golden Gate Bridge could become a source of green power for the Bay Area if one researcher gets his way.
Four-hundred billion gallons of water four times a day - 2.5 billion cubic meters of water every six hours - pass beneath the Bridge every day. That flow of water under the one-mile span could provide 1500 megawatts of power day-in, day-out as long as the moon is in the sky, according to Peter O’Donnell in his report Tidal Current Technology Generation. O’Donnell is Senior Energy Specialist with the Department of the Environment for the City of San Francisco.
O'Donnell's ocean power vision includes two tidal fences constructed as part of jetty for areas near the Bridge. Similar to those being developed by Blue Energy, each tidal fence utilizes a number of vertical axis turbines submerged and mounted in caissons that together make up a pier, or fence, with its topside only 12 feet above the water. Turbines would be connected by shaft to above-water electric generators. In concern for environment, large marine mammals instinctively shy away from the turbines and can swim under the fence, according to O’Donnell.
Aside from the tidal fence project the report author has other projects in mind for the area including water farms. Not unlike wind farms, water farms would use numerous submerged water turbines in areas of reliable currents to generate electricity for the nearby power grid.
The biggest hurdles right now are cost and faith. Tidal current technology (as well as other ocean energy technologies), though in use around the world, is scarce. With scarcity comes high cost. Scarcity can also mean unproven and risky in the eyes of those who must finance a project. But in the end San Francisco voters might decide. Last year they voted to approve $100 million in renewable energy bond measures. This year they are voting to approve a municipal power company for the City. Next year could they approve tidal power for their city? Visit Blue Energy at http://www.bluenergy.com/ , the San Francisco Department of the Environment at http://www.sfgov.org/sfenvironment/.
The blue waters churning beneath the Golden Gate Bridge could become a source of green power for the Bay Area if one researcher gets his way.
Four-hundred billion gallons of water four times a day - 2.5 billion cubic meters of water every six hours - pass beneath the Bridge every day. That flow of water under the one-mile span could provide 1500 megawatts of power day-in, day-out as long as the moon is in the sky, according to Peter O’Donnell in his report Tidal Current Technology Generation. O’Donnell is Senior Energy Specialist with the Department of the Environment for the City of San Francisco.
O'Donnell's ocean power vision includes two tidal fences constructed as part of jetty for areas near the Bridge. Similar to those being developed by Blue Energy, each tidal fence utilizes a number of vertical axis turbines submerged and mounted in caissons that together make up a pier, or fence, with its topside only 12 feet above the water. Turbines would be connected by shaft to above-water electric generators. In concern for environment, large marine mammals instinctively shy away from the turbines and can swim under the fence, according to O’Donnell.
Aside from the tidal fence project the report author has other projects in mind for the area including water farms. Not unlike wind farms, water farms would use numerous submerged water turbines in areas of reliable currents to generate electricity for the nearby power grid.
The biggest hurdles right now are cost and faith. Tidal current technology (as well as other ocean energy technologies), though in use around the world, is scarce. With scarcity comes high cost. Scarcity can also mean unproven and risky in the eyes of those who must finance a project. But in the end San Francisco voters might decide. Last year they voted to approve $100 million in renewable energy bond measures. This year they are voting to approve a municipal power company for the City. Next year could they approve tidal power for their city? Visit Blue Energy at http://www.bluenergy.com/ , the San Francisco Department of the Environment at http://www.sfgov.org/sfenvironment/.
Labels: Blue Efficiency, Ocean Power, San Francisco
posted by Mister 2 at
2:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home