Minesto Tidal Energy

Minesto develops a new concept for tidal power plants called Deep Green. Deep Green is based on a fundamentally new principle for electricity generation from tidal currents. The power plant is applicable in areas where no other known technology can operate cost effectively due to its unique ability to operate in low velocities. Minesto expands the total marine energy potential and offers a step change in cost for tidal energy.

The principle of the technology can be explained as a two stage process.

The first stage increases the relative flow speed entering a turbine. When the tide hits the wing it creates a lift force, since the kite is mounted to the ocean bed with a tether and is controlled by a rudder, the kite can be taken in the desired trajectory, here in an eight formed path. The method increases the flow velocity into the turbine by 10 times, compared to the actual stream velocity.

The second stage uses a generator to convert kinetic energy into electrical power.

The net result is increased power from a smaller package. The planned normal full size weighs only 7 tons excluding anchoring which gives an energetic payback time of 3 weeks, compared to 8 months for onshore wind.

The test confirms power production of the plant at Marin in Holland.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[auditurns]

Making 500 K of power is a nice unit of energy. THis concept is very workable. The engenering and development will expand to over come all issues. I hope Minesto comes too Alaska for our renewable energy confrence this April 19-20. Alaska would fund a prototype. We have the tides.

[RobRudolf1]

, you're the one who needs to do your homework. they were talking about power...and power = force (fluid dynamic forces increase by square of speed) x speed...... and speed^2 x speed = speed^3 ; )

[f0thu1nn]

The wing structure is slightly positively buoyant and at slack water it will hang above its pivot on the end of its power line.

In the same way as towline glider models get up fast in low wind speeds with large angles of attack, and beach power kites do high speed figures of 8 , the wing sustains its instability . It obeys a Strange Attractor.

The makers claim that currents as low as 2kts. will  be ok. In fact, excess currents do not suit. Jury`s out on whales though. 20kts is FAST

[peterkittel1]

This is not a kite it is a dive bomber. The cable and 12 metre structure moving at speed will devastate marine life. It is renewable energy but definetly not green or benign.The UK Carbon Trust gave them a major grant what were they thinking?

[mony09bony]

absolutely right! I did not even study physics, but chemistry. Still I know that kinetic energy is not proportional to the cube of speed but to the square. They should do their homework first.

[p1t1o]

It is good that there are some really special people working to create imaginative ideas like this. Butschemes like these don't stand a snowflakes chance in hell of being able to supply any significant portion of our energy demands. Sure those kits look small and efficient, but it also looks like you're gonna need a freaking buttload of them to do anything useful, and that means complexity and cost will multiply, and you still wont get that many Watts out.

[scrubjay93]

Those lines are the worst design of all for marine mammal entanglement.

[guernafroman]

I cannot see how this kite / plane would stay suspended in areas aroundthe coasts when tides change. For instance in the british channel the tides have a 15 minite (ish) slack water window (ebb to flood ) would these not crash to the sea bed and need assistance to work again? also in rough or heavy seas would these not break the surface and loss momentum.