Hydro Power Without the Dams: Ontario Invests in Free Flow Underwater Turbines
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 04.14.08
Wouldn't it be nice if we could generate clean power from rivers without having to dam them? That's what Verdant Power is trying to do with its free flow turbines (which we've covered in the past: "Lunar Power" comes to New York and NBC Coverage of Wave and Tidal Power).
The Cornwall Ontario River Energy Project - 15 Megawatts
The province of Ontario is investing C$2.2 million into a project to demonstrate the feasibility and commercial viability of using free flow turbines to harness some of the St. Lawrence River's kinetic energy and turn it into electricity.
This project is for 15 megawatts, enough to power 11,000 average-sized homes, but Verdant estimates that "there is enough potential power in the water currents of Canada’s tides, rivers and manmade channels to generate 15,000 MW of electricity using its technology". That would be about the equivalent of 15 big coal power plants.
But we have to wonder... Did they pick Cornwall just because they could make a really cool acronym? The Cornwall Ontario River Energy (CORE) Project.
How Does a Free Flow Underwater Turbine Work?
Very simply, it works like a wind turbine, but the blades are moved by a water current instead of by the wind. "The turbine blades rotate slowly allowing fish to pass through safely with minimal environmental impact." Of course, the impact won't be zero, but if we consider that Ontario is currently getting a good amount of its power from coal plants, this definitely looks like a step in the right direction.
One key difference with wind turbines is that free flow hydro turbines are not visible, so the "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) attitude shouldn't be a problem. Another benefit over wind power is that hydro delivers power more predictably.
Tidal Power in the East River in New York City
These free flow turbines can also be used to harness tidal currents, as was shown with the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project (pdf) in New York City's East River. There, Verdant Power has installed its 5-meter, 35-kilowatt models. The first 6-turbine array is already working, and when completed (100-300 turbines), the project should generated 10 megawatts of power, enough for 8,000 homes.
The Future of Free Flow Hydropower Turbines
It's probably still too early to know how cost-competitive this technology will be. What we do know is that there won't be a clean energy silver bullet, so it is important to keep improving in that area even if other types of renewable energies are ahead right now (wind, solar, and even wave power). Best of luck to Verdant Power!
::Verdant Power, ::McGuinty Government Investing To Spark Green Technology via ::Ontario Funding C$2.2M River Energy Project
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I'll believe the numbers when I see them.
If the turbine size is kept consistent at 35kw, you'll need 500 of them to produce 15MW. For a $2.2M project this means that the installed cost of each turbine must be less than $5000.
That's a tough number to meet, judging from what I've seen on this tech.
Anyone know what the capacity factor of this is? If it is installed in a river I assume it could approach 1, but if it depends on tidal energy it will be significantly less than that.
I wonder what this will do for the sedimentation of the river. If you are slowing the flow around the bottom of the river I would think that you could have some challanges.
I hope this can really deliver!
This is encouraging news. I hope this catches on.
It seems to me that a paddle wheel type generator that was mostly above the water line would be cheaper to install and easier to maintain.
Applied to the Mississippi River over its total length would make a difference. A lot of water moving now during these floods. I can vision hundreds of miles of power..............Mike
To the commenter above, the government of ontario has invested 2.2m, but that doesn't mean that's the total cost of the project.
My guess would be the costs are still high, but as with solar and wind, it could be brought down with volume and R&D.
With a capacity factor of ~1:
-at $1/W payback is just over a year
-at $2/W payback is just under three years
-at $3/W payback is just under five years
A 15MW project should cost about $45million at $3/W.
Something is not right.
Perhaps Ontario is only "investing" and not paying for the whole thing....
Let's just say I wouldn't invest in these guys. I saw a program where they installed the devices in the hudson, only to have one of them fail immediately when the blades broke off. Warranted they had another stronger one standing by, but that kind of crackerjack engineering is not confidence inspiring. With some basic current readings any mechanical engineer worth their salt could calculate the kind of forces on those blades.
has aneyone considerd the impact of river debris on the blads eg :- fallen trees washed down the river after flooding as this is a problem where i live
i agree
This is encouraging news. I hope this catches on,
this also saves money from constructing a dam,the main backdrop of this process is there should be flow of water in the rivers if not the plant will be in non-running till there is flow of water,and there may be damage of machinery
its fake as, wheres the dam, and you need a current such as in the sea near the beach,you still need a dam unless hydro power is usless (a strong current is needed to produce hydro power and ive searched 200 sites that mississipi has a weak current other than between febuary and may so its useless and a scam to use tax payers money
i have invented a baseload hydro system,patient research has shown no one has ever come up with this before. tough to find investors even though my system has been built and partly tested.come on investors it costs nothing to ask about it. 662-393-3567.
hey buddy i m going to make prototype of free flow turbine. so i need the data and concept. may anyone plz mail me abt that. my email id is sajjan_kec@rediffmail.com
can this really work????
does anyone know what the factors are on this kind of tech.?
could anyone give me some links to see???
this web site helped me out alot at doing project
on water turbins THANKS A MILL!