Technology that is able to both draw the energy from the renewable sources and do it in a clean way is something that is being welcomed with arms wide open across the globe. The all new way of harnessing the power of the flowing water is not by containing the flow but by allowing it to flow freely and even then harness energy from its beauty and splendor. The new technology is now all set to make sure that we do not construct those huge dams that obstruct the flow of water and prevent from the natural process of soil relocation.
Dams have been hailed as modern temples by some, yet they have brought with them, more than what we bargained for. In many parts of the world, migration of fishes and soil movement has been obstructed by giant structure that causes more damage in the long run. The province of Ontario is investing C$2.2 million into a project to demonstrate the feasibility and commercial viability of using free flow turbines to harness some of the St. Lawrence River’s kinetic energy and turn it into electricity.
This project is for 15 megawatts, enough to power 11,000 average-sized homes, but Verdant estimates that there is enough potential power in the water currents of Canada’s tides, rivers and manmade channels to generate 15,000 MW of electricity using its technology. That would be about the equivalent of 15 big coal power plants. The design and the working of these turbines is very simple and allows us to make sure that the water flows freely and also generates electricity. These free flow turbines can also be used to harness tidal currents, as was shown with the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project in New York City’s East River. Hope the energy catches on.
