It's easy to track the tidal movements of the ocean by looking at waves, but all of that energy is moved around under the surface of the water as well. Florida Atlantic University's Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology hopes to harness these underwater currents by placing 100-foot-in-diameter 20 kilowatt turbines that are anchored to the ocean floor along the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic. The system would be hooked up to floating generators and monitored by solar powered control buoys and small naval vessels.
The team at Florida Atlantic University will first test the waters with smaller prototype turbines to be deployed in February 2008. How much renewable energy the system will be able to generate is still up in the air, but the team hopes it will provide a significant amount to the state of Florida.
FAU Ocean Energy Technology, via Inhabitat, via Spluch
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By patrick13 at 7:02 PM ON 12/13/07
And a wonderful source for food!
Hmmm. Whale steaks...
By ctf3030 at 11:26 PM ON 07/24/08
yea it could power florida but if one or more of the wires contact that salt water and the earth can have a lot of hydrogen and oxygen and if noone catches it for a coulpe years the earth can become the sun then you can't stop it till the earth runs low on water
By ctf3030 at 11:28 PM ON 07/24/08
yea it could power florida but if one or more of the wires contact that salt water and the earth can have a lot of hydrogen and oxygen and if noone catches it for a coulpe years the earth can become the sun then you can't stop it till the earth runs low on water
By ctf3030 at 9:16 AM ON 07/25/08
i think you should try it like the weed eater or speedometer with a thick spinning wire that does not have any electricity running in it but the spinning wire comes out of the water first than spins the turbines
By fizzy at 6:10 PM ON 11/10/08
It would power Florida and cleaning - therefore maintenance - would help to ensure that the ENTIRE OCEAN is not reduced to Hydrogen oxygen. Get real. Harnessing the currents has the fewest hazards and greatest potential given our lack of ability to harness the sun's energy.