Jan 10 2011
Verdant Power, a New York-based marine renewable energy company, announced that it has filed a license application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for turbine installation in East River, New York. The company has proposed to install a maximum of 30 tidal power turbines in the east channel of the river.
The underwater turbines of Verdant Power comprise three blades, and they operate like a submerged edition of a wind turbine. The turbines harness the power generated by water tides. However, the company had to perform extensive research to prove that the turbines are not harmful to aquatic life.
The research was supported by University of Minnesota, Sandia National Labs, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. The design and testing of the composite turbine blade was partially funded by the US Department of Energy. For the research, Verdant Power had installed six tidal turbines in the river from 2006 to 2008 and supplied the generated power to New York City businesses.