Posts Tagged by Hydrokinetics
Infographic – History of Renewable Energy InfoGraphic
| October 28, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
We at 2GreenEnergy are on a quest to introduce the basic concepts of renewable energy to newcomers to the field, and, to that end, we’ve begun to create a series of “infographics,” providing a few essential concepts at a glance. Here’s a one-pager we did, depicting a brief history of each of five main types of clean energy. We’re hoping that this puts a few central concepts into perspective for folks.
Unique Approach to High Head Hydrokinetics — Investors Needed
| October 6, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
Here’s a short video in which I discuss a unique approach that applies nicely to hydrokinetics in high head conditions, e.g., waterfalls or steep rapids.
Does this scale to the point that it can replace terawatts of fossil fuels? Nope. But in the right conditions, it’s a wonderful solution, and thus, in my opinion, the company represents an interesting investment opportunity.
Cyclo Ocean — Clever Start-up in Ocean-Current Hydrokinetics
| October 4, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
I just got off the phone with Paul Greyschock, from hydrokinetics start-up Cyclo Ocean in Vero Beach, FL. There were a couple of items that made this conversation noteworthy. First is the technology itself. If you check out the website, you’ll see immediately that a great number of the issues that thwart most attempts at tidal or ocean-current hydro are dealt with cleverly and inexpensively. In particular, note that the device is anchored to the seabed, not moored into it. Read More
Cool Idea in Run-of-River Hydrokinetics
| September 27, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
In this interview, I discuss a radical new approach to run-of-river hydrokinetics where the water is falling far over a short distance, e.g., a waterfall. The company’s solution is extremely straightforward and would be easy for a wily competitor to steal; it is for this reason that they play their cards very close to their vests, and have gone to an almost unimaginable extent to patent their IP internationally. Will anyone win here – besides the patent attorneys, that is? I believe so.
There are many sites around the world where this solution is perfect, and will produce totally clean power, 24/7/365 at an incredibly attractive rate in terms of levelized cost of energy (LCOE), meaning the average cost per kilowatt-hour when all factors are taken into consideration: the construction, the fuel, operations and maintenance, and decommissioning.
Hydrokinetics Has Great Potential to Provide Clean Energy
| September 10, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
Hydrokinetics is quite an appealing subject; here’s why: huge masses of water are moving all around us more or less constantly, in our ocean tides and other predictable currents, as well as in our large rivers — and rightfully, these have been the subjects of most R&D in the arena.
Until I received a call from a fellow in Northwestern Spain the other day, I had never considered the hydrokinetic potential represented by waterfalls and steep rapids. Obviously, here’s a case where a great deal of energy is released in a concentrated space; that’s certainly a good thing. But how can one extract that energy in an inexpensive, eco-friendly, and aesthetic manner?
Well, sadly, the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) I signed prohibits me from answering that question publicly. But I am convinced that there is, in fact, a way to do it, and I encourage potential investors to write in, sign the same NDA I did, and determine for themselves if they think this thing has legs. I believe most of them will agree with me, that this idea has great potential if it’s pursued diligently and professionally.
Hydrokinetics: Clean Energy Business Plans Based on Hydro
| August 16, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
Here’ s a short presentation on hydrokinetics, in particular, a few clean energy business plans that are based on run-of-river, ocean current, wave, tidal, ocean thermal, etc. This is of particular interest to me as I go about recommending a solution for my friends in Bermuda, which doesn’t really have the land mass to support some of the other renewable energy technolgies.
[The Vector] Looking at Hydrokinetics: American Hydropower
| May 8, 2011 | Posted by Kathy-Heshelow under Hydrokinetics |
What’s going on in the U.S. with Hydropower?
The Departments of Energy (DOE) and the Interior announced this month, in April 2011, that $26.6 million in funding to advance hydropower technology has been designated. The studies will focus on innovative and efficient systems that reduce costs and increase renewable power generation at sites not previously considered. This fits in with finding solutions for the aggressive plan to meet 80% of U.S. energy by 2035.
HydroWorld — Breaking News on Hydrokinetics
| December 14, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
As I’ve covered in a few of the reports published here at 2GreenEnergy, notably the “Three Brass Tacks of Renewable Energy,” I’m a partner in a company with a unique approach to run-of-river hydro called Hydrokinetic Laboratories. The company’s founder and majority owner is working hard to secure the required financing to build a prototype and take the idea forward.
In the meanwhile, I notice a great deal of exciting work being done in this space. And here’s a website, HydroWorld, whose purpose is to highlight breaking news in the arena; it’s owned by Pennwell, the folks who have so successfully supported RenewableEnergyWorld.com, one of the most professional groups to grace the clean energy industry.
About Brian Polagye, Contributor to “Renewable Energy Facts and Fantasies” – Hydrokinetics
| August 1, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
The University of Washington’s Dr. Brian Polagye contributed to the book’s chapter on hydrokinetics.
His work focuses on responsibly harnessing the kinetic energy in moving water, in particular, developing a better understanding of the practically recoverable resource for tidal streams. He says, “There is no one energy solution that gets you all the way there. I mean, you wouldn’t legitimately expect to replace all the power we currently consume with a single source like in-stream river hydrokinetics. That being said, I think that river, tidal, wave, ocean current, all of these can make a valuable contribution, either nationally or regionally, to the electric grid. So I think it’s important not to discard an idea simply because it doesn’t solve all of our problems.”
Energy Policy and Land Use
| June 1, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Hydrokinetics |
The migration to renewable energy is complicated by a great number of factors in the renewable energy “triumvirate” -technological, economic, and political. The chart below shows one of many different dimensions of this complexity: land use – which, when you think about it, touches on all three. The data in the chart is derived from:
1) a paper titled Alternative Energy and Land Use from Clinton Andrews et al.
2) land intensiveness data from McDonald et al (2009)
3) land area data from Melillo et al (2009), and
4) global energy demand data from EIA
