In a statement, the company, Verdant Power, said that if approved the project will be the first tidal power plant in the US licensed to transmit energy onto the national grid.
Verdant began the project, officially called the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project, in 2002, and since then it has been its signature effort to commercialise its 'Free Flow' kinetic hydropower system, which utilizes three-bladed turbines deployed in fast-moving tides and rivers to generate clean energy, according to a company press release.
Verdant achieved a major milestone in 2006 when it successfully installed the company’s first full-scale (5m diameter rotor) Free Flow System turbine into the East River. During 2006-08, the company demonstrated a similar system with six full-scale turbines, delivering energy to businesses in New York City.
Among the outcomes of its efforts: Proof of excellent hydrodynamic, mechanical and electrical performance; Grid-connected power with no power quality problems; Automatic control and continuous, unattended operation; No fouling or damage from debris, and 70 mWh of energy delivered to two end users.
The US Dept. of Energy provided partial funding, specifically the design and testing of a new composite turbine blade in partnership with the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Laboratory.
Major funding has been provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
In other news, Verdant Power recently signed an MOU with the China Energy Conservation Environment Protection Group (CECEP) (formerly CECIC), China’s leading renewable energy company, to develop tidal power projects in China.
The agreement is the first of its kind between China and the US involving marine and hydrokinetic power projects.
For additional information:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
