Tidal energy experiment in Puget Sound

[eridani]

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-11-tidal-energy-puget-sound-project

I spent a morning recently with researchers who hope to see two donut-shaped turbines lowered into Puget Sound in a pilot program run by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, a partnership between the University of Washington and Oregon State University. If the pilot succeeds, a local utility district envisions dozens of turbines lining the sea bed in the future.

Such a full-scale deployment is a long way off, as tidal power is still in its infancy in almost every respect. There are just five or so test sites worldwide, the technology is largely unproven, environmental concerns must be settled, and it receives a minute fraction of the research funding other renewable sources receive.

“I would say that tidal power is in a state where wind was 20 years ago,” said Brian Polagye, a mechanical enghttp://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-11-tidal-energy-puget-sound-project

I spent a morning recently with researchers who hope to see two donut-shaped turbines lowered into Puget Sound in a pilot program run by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, a partnership between the University of Washington and Oregon State University. If the pilot succeeds, a local utility district envisions dozens of turbines lining the sea bed in the future.

Such a full-scale deployment is a long way off, as tidal power is still in its infancy in almost every respect. There are just five or so test sites worldwide, the technology is largely unproven, environmental concerns must be settled, and it receives a minute fraction of the research funding other renewable sources receive.

“I would say that tidal power is in a state where wind was 20 years ago,” said Brian Polagye, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Washington and a lead researcher of the Puget Sound project. “However, because tidal power leverages much of what we’ve learned from wind power (for the actual devices and drive trains) and offshore oil and gas (for the foundations), I would expect that tidal power will be on a steeper development curb.”ineering professor at the University of Washington and a lead researcher of the Puget Sound project. “However, because tidal power leverages much of what we’ve learned from wind power (for the actual devices and drive trains) and offshore oil and gas (for the foundations), I would expect that tidal power will be on a steeper development curb.”