Underwater kites boost prospect of increased tidal power production

Swedish to start up Minesto has has been For years trying has float THE idea of having submarine wind turbines that generate power For to use down. These would be be anchor has THE seabed by A long attached And move around In figure of eight patterns as A kite, which would be increase THE to flow on THE the turbines blades. After A little years of tests, It is 1.2 MW Dragon 12 kite will NOW be installed disabled THE side of THE Faroe Islands.

Previously, Minesto had installed It is a lot smaller DG500 (0.5 MW) kite turbine has sacred head Deep, In Wales, Or A Single unit has has been tested has A depth of between 65 And 91 meters. SO far, only This unit has seen continuous operation. As note In THE related Tethys report, This A unit was not connected has THE grid, And research on It is environmental impact East always in progress as of September 2022. THE main concerns are how he could affect cetaceans (whales, dolphins, etc.), including potential collisions with these as GOOD as diving birds WHO could END up diving In THE medium of A swarm of kites moving about has enough high speeds.

A of THE propose Minesto Dragon 12 kite painting facility sites has THE Faroe He is. (Credit: Minesto)

Although by himself putting A turbine In THE a lot stronger And energetic ocean currents – not has mention quasi-continuous – makes sense, THE Marine environment East A difficult A has survive. THE DG500 prototype has seen A little years of to use, but This would be be THE First of all large scale deployment of such A system And Thus THE First of all significant long term sustainability test. THE aim has THE Faroe he is East has install 120 MW of ability, through four kite groups, join THE smaller Dragon 4 (0.4 MW) unit that was connected to the network In Can of last year.

Depending, depending on THE results, including THE economy, This technology could prove has be either a lot better And cheaper that at sea wind turbines, Or turn out has be saddle with fundamental defaults that has prey previous attempts has TO DO to use of THE strong currents And tides that TO DO THE of the world oceans And seas In A of Nature most impressive tourist sites.