Capturing Renewable Energy From Slow Moving Water Currents
It is now possible to utilize slow moving ocean and river currents as a reliable and affordable source of renewable energy. A engineer at the University of Michigan has developed a new device that will act like a fish and turn potentially destructive vibrations in waves and currents into clean energy.
The machine is called the VIVACE, Vortex Induced Vibrations for Aquatic Clean Energy. The device is the first one that has been developed that can draw energy from almost any source and speed of water currents anywhere in the world.
Developer Michael Bernitsas, who is a professor at the U-M department of naval architecture and marine engineering said, “There won’t be one solution for the world’s energy needs. But, if we could harness 0.1 percent of the energy found in the ocean we could supply the energy needs of 15 billion people”.