populous states could lie underwater.
Imagine if your utility company could harness the ocean's current to power
your house, cool your office, even charge your car.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University are in the early stages of
turning that idea into reality in the powerful Gulf Stream off the state's
eastern shore.
"If you can take an engine and put it on the back of a boat or propel a ship
through water, why not take a look at the strength of the Gulf Stream and
determine if that can actually turn a device and create energy?" asked Sue
Skemp, executive director at Florida Atlantic University's Center for Ocean
Energy Technology.
The demand for energy in Florida -- the fourth most populous state, with an
estimated 19 million residents -- is quickly outpacing the capacity to
create it, according to experts.
"Right now in Florida, we are at the cusp of an energy crisis. Our energy
demand keeps growing," said Frederick Driscoll, director of Florida Atlantic
University's Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology.
Beginning in the Caribbean and ending in the upper-North Atlantic, the Gulf
Stream lies on the eastern shore of Florida.
Its powerful currents have been used by many fishermen, sailors and
explorers to expedite their passage in the Atlantic north and east to
Europe, but scientists say the energy within its currents could propel
Florida out of its potential energy crisis, powering 3 million to 7 million
Florida homes -- or supplying the state with one-third of its electricity.
"The predictions at this point estimate that the strength of the Gulf Stream
could generate anywhere between four to 10 gigawatts of power, the
equivalent of four to 10 nuclear power plants," said Skemp.
"The Gulf Stream is the strongest current in the world, so we want to
harness our greatest resource. It's renewable, emission free and reliable,"
said Jeremy Susac, executive director of the Florida Energy and Climate
Commission.
At the university's Center for Ocean Energy Technology in Boca Raton,
Florida, ocean engineers are working with marine, environmental and material
scientists to develop cost-competitive technologies to commercialize the
energy within the Gulf Stream.
Though it has been considered for more than a century, harnessing the energy
of the Gulf Stream is no easy task, and no sustainable system has been
implemented.
"First we have to do a resource assessment and understand how much energy is
in the Gulf Stream current on a minute-to-minute, day-to-day, hour-to-hour
and yearly basis," said Driscoll.
In April, researchers at the center deployed four acoustic Doppler current
profilers in the Atlantic off the east coast of Florida.
Using high frequency, low-power sonar, these large orange ball-shaped
objects measure the speed of the ocean currents.
"We are looking at how much energy we can safely extract -- what is the
sensitivity of extraction versus the environmental effects?" said Driscoll.
The vision for the pilot program is to develop and test a 20-kilowatt
underwater turbine by spring 2010.
Sound familiar?
The concept behind underwater turbines is similar to that of wind turbines
on land.
As water flows by the turbine, it turns a rotor blade. As the rotor blade
turns, energy is generated.
That energy can be transmitted from a generator inside the turbine to
electrical conducting cables, where it's captured, harnessed and distributed
for future use.
Researchers also are looking at ways to use the electricity that is
generated underwater to generate and store hydrogen in the ocean. The
hydrogen could be used to fuel clean-running cars and trucks.
"Because it's such a new endeavor, there's a lot of knowledge gaps not only
in terms of the technology side but also on the ecological side of things,"
said Driscoll.
Completely reliant
Florida is completely reliant on out-of-state fuel sources (coal and natural
gas), but generates more than 90 percent of its own electricity, according
to the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. It ranks third nationally in
total energy consumption.
So how much will this endeavor cost? And what kind of impacts will it have
on the local marine environment?
"Those are the questions we don't have answers to," said Skemp.
There are some hurdles that need to be cleared before the technology can get
approval and become commercially available.
"This area is so new, we're still finding out what needs to be done," said
Skemp.
"It's not like an established industry, like the aerospace industry or the
automotive industry or others, where you have models which you could base
cost on," added Skemp.
So far, the state of Florida has allocated $13.75 million in grants toward
research and development of the pilot project, but the cost to implement the
project on a large scale could be much higher.
Before a project like this can go forward, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission will have to look at a whole range of factors, from the effects
it will have on wild and marine life to recreation activities and shipping,
said an environmental specialist with the commission.
If the pilot program is successful, it could take another five to 10 years
before the technology can be implemented.
The Gulf Stream is something that has been taken for granted, said Skemp.
"The Gulf Stream is on 24/7. It's flowing 365 days a year, so it's a
continuous source of energy."
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