June 4, 2022
...AND CHEAPER...:
JAPAN TESTED A GIANT TURBINE THAT GENERATES ELECTRICITY USING DEEP OCEAN CURRENTS AND THE TEST WENT GREAT. (VICTOR TANGERMANN, 6/03/22, Futurism)
A heavy machinery maker in Japan called IHI Corp has successfully tested a prototype of a massive, airplane-sized turbine that can generate electricity from powerful deep sea ocean currents, Bloomberg reports, laying the groundwork for a promising new source of renewable energy that doesn't rely on sunny days or strong winds.The company's latest prototype is called Kairyu and weighs in at 330 tons. Two counter-rotating turbine fans are connected by a massive fuselage, which allows the entire apparatus to float while anchored anchored to the sea floor, hovering between 100 and 160 feet below the surface.There, it pulls energy from one of the world's strongest ocean currents, off the eastern coast of Japan, using it to spin its mighty turbines.During demonstrations earlier this year, the company was able to generate around 100 kilowatts of stable power. During future tests, IHI Corp is hoping to generate two megawatts, with the hopes of kicking off commercial operations in the 2030s, Bloomberg reports.
Posted by Orrin Judd at June 4, 2022 7:34 AM