One of my favorite methods for alternative energy is tidal power. The oceans have some pretty strong tides, and this former oil magnate has gone "green" and become involved in this project down in Oz. Here's the skinny: you have a float that rides either on the surface or at some point in the water where the tidal forces and currents are rather strong. The vertical motion of the float drives a pump that sends pressurized water to a point on the shore, where it's diverted to either a water-driven power station or a desalinization plant, and then returned to the ocean. (I keep thinking, why not both?) I believe his current project generates enough power for a small town on the northwestern Oz coastline, as well as providing fresh water.
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Date: 2009-10-14 06:29 pm (UTC)The oceans have some pretty strong tides, and this former oil magnate has gone "green" and become involved in this project down in Oz.
Here's the skinny: you have a float that rides either on the surface or at some point in the water where the tidal forces and currents are rather strong. The vertical motion of the float drives a pump that sends pressurized water to a point on the shore, where it's diverted to either a water-driven power station or a desalinization plant, and then returned to the ocean. (I keep thinking, why not both?)
I believe his current project generates enough power for a small town on the northwestern Oz coastline, as well as providing fresh water.