Inspenet, July 18, 2023.
This innovative underwater turbine promises to safeguard the ocean ecosystem while producing electricity for more than 3,000 homes.
The power of ocean currents represents a more constant source of renewable energy than the force of the wind that drives the largest wind turbines in the world. Just as energy takes advantage of the movement of sea waves, these turbines installed on the seabed could supply electricity to more than 3,000 families through maritime currents.
Brazilian startup TidalWatt has created these water turbines with the promise of not only outperforming power generation compared to land-based wind turbines, but also protecting the seabed and reefs . Although it is still in the testing phase in Brazil, they are convinced that they can generate three times more energy ; the latter is stated by Mauricio Queiroz, founder and CEO of TidalWatt.
A prototype of this generator is undergoing testing at one of the world’s largest ocean technology laboratories, Coppe’s LabOcean at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. TidalWatt has partnered with the John Cockrerill group to develop the first model to be installed in rivers and oceans. Recently, they have obtained official authorization from the environmental authority in Rio de Janeiro.
Taking advantage of ocean currents
TidalWatt describes ocean currents as a more controlled, constant, and predictable force compared to the wind on land, making them a source of driving power .
In this environment, its 3 meter diameter turbine can generate 5MW of power with a water current of 1.87 knots. This power is comparable to that of wind models such as the Acciona company, designed by the French company Eolink. The 5 MW of energy could supply clean electricity to approximately 3,500 homes in Spain, according to the average consumption of families in the country.
Mauricio Queiroz compares this capacity with 180-meter-diameter wind turbines, which are 60 times larger, to produce the same amount of power, although these numbers can vary by model.
This advantage is due to the constancy of the power source, that is, the sea current compared to the wind, which allows the turbine to be in operation 90% of the time. “This means that, despite being 3,600 times smaller in terms of coverage area, our turbines can generate three times more power,” explains the CEO.
To achieve this improvement in efficiency, TidalWatt has abandoned the classic windmill design that mimics terrestrial turbines , opting for a design of wider, curved blades, similar to a ship’s rotor and protected by a large tube.
The water flows with greater force through the crossed blades and the tunnel that surrounds them; thus taking advantage of the Venturi effect, a physical phenomenon in which a moving fluid inside a closed conduit or pipe reduces its pressure by increasing its speed when passing through a section of smaller area.
TidalWatt plans to install its turbines in locations with average current speeds greater than 1 knot, generating 5 MW with turbine capacity ranging from 70% to 95%, according to company calculations. However, the generation of electricity for homes is not the only notable feature of this project.
Eco-friendly underwater turbine
In addition to power generation, TidalWatt seeks to ensure that the installation of these large turbines on the seabed does not cause further disruption to an ecosystem already affected by climate change and pollution.
Conventional wind turbines cause the death of thousands of birds each year due to the force of their blades, while hydroelectric plants disturb the bodies of water where they are installed, endangering the local fauna and flora. In addition, solar farms are occupying land that was previously used for agriculture, since it is more profitable from an economic point of view. Although some models already try to address this problem to coexist in harmony with nature.
“We’re not just going to build power plants, we’re going to build marine ecological sanctuaries,” says Queiroz at Susteinable Brands. “Marine animals avoid moving objects, but if you were attracted to the silent turbine spinning at 12 rpm, at worst you would slide along with the water, just like a water slide. The probability of colliding with one of the blades is practically nil and it is impossible for the turbine to hurt or bother any fish”.
The wind turbines will be placed at a considerable distance from the coral reefs to avoid any negative impact on the ecosystems of those areas. As a compensatory measure, it is also intended to create artificial reefs at the base of the turbines, in order to provide a safe environment for various species that may inhabit around the facility.
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