Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
ones used to create wind power on land, but they are stronger
and more sturdy. The underwater turbines cannot be seen from
the surface. One of these systems has been tested in New York
City's East River. It could lead to 300 turbines being installed
there. They would create enough electricity to power 10,000
homes. A similar system may soon be in place off the coast of
Washington state.
Wave Power
As the tides create “lunar power,”
ocean waves are a kind of
solar
power. The Sun's energy creates
winds near the surface of Earth. The
winds blow across ocean waters
and create waves. The waves have
kinetic energy, which increases as
they come closer to shore. Experts
think that the wave energy near the
coasts of the United States could
someday create more electricity
than all the country's hydroelectric
dams currently produce.
Scientists around the world have
found different ways to capture
wave power. Some methods place
devices offshore in waters up to
230 feet (70 meters) deep. A
buoy
sits inside a ixed metal container.
The buoy moves up and down
inside the container as the waves
The PowerBuoy® system developed by
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., captures
the natural energy in ocean waves.
