Researchers have been searching for the holy grail of untapped renewable energy resources. Deep Green, an underwater kite that generates electricity from tidal currents, is creating a name for itself in terms of technological advancements. A world-leading marine energy developer called Minesto, created the revolutionary bold idea of Deep Green.
Each Underwater Kite will be designed to produce up to 1.6 gigawatt hours of electricity per year.
Minesto is a driving force in the nascent global industry of tidal energy. The company operates in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Sweden.
Magnus Landberg, the inventor of Deep Green, said that “The outcome was a compact, efficient tidal power plant – able to sweep large areas, much more efficient than rotors on static structures.”
A Bold Impact for Renewable Energy Resources
Deep Green operates by sweeping a turbine across a big area at a fast speed. The underwater tidal kites are unlike other tidal energy technologies because of their wings, the measurement of their turbine, and the idea that they are flying under water.
Deep Green consists of a wing, turbine, nacelle, rudder, struts, and tether. Also according to Euro News the kite is outfitted with a bevy of communication tools and sensors. Strong materials and a fully hydrodynamic design allow the underwater kite to travel with tidal flows at different speeds. The energy of the tide causes the rotors to spin, converting that tidal energy into useable electric power.
Tidal Energy Harvested By Underwater Kite
Ted Rosendahl, the Chief Technical Officer of Minesto, stated that “Deep Green can operate efficiently at sites with low current velocities and also at greater depths, allowing tidal energy to be implemented in new stretches of sea water.”
Holyhead Deep, located west of Anglesey, North Wales, has been chosen as a location for a commercial Deep Green installation. The site matches all the requirements, such as having low-flow tidal velocities at a depth of 80-100 meters. If the deployment and testing are successful, more Deep Green devices will be installed and the location will be expanded into a 10MW tidal energy array.
Deep Green is an innovation with competitive advantages. It is submerged at least 20 meters below the surface of the water, creating a minimal impact on the environment and shipping. Its electricity production is predictable because tides are triggered by the relative motion of the Earth, moon, and sun, which can be anticipated with almost 100% accuracy. The offshore operations of Depp Green are also low-cost.
Now, scientists and researchers are using different tests to further enhance the technology. The goal is to make and install much bigger kites with spans of 12 meters. Each Underwater Kite will be designed to produce up to 1.6-gigawatt hours of electricity per year. Scientists are also building a sonar platform feature in order to locate the passage of marine animals to learn how they interact with the kite.
According to Nancy Cecilia Zambrano, the Test Engineer of Minesto, “We are currently developing the software of the system. We need to clearly distinguish what’s a marine animal from what may be an object drifting away with the tide.”
Motherboard mentioned that Japan has also developed underwater kites in order to harness the power of ocean currents. It was reported that the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan were keen to pursue its ocean energy prospects.
Deep Green has already come a long way, making a bold impact by developing a new renewable energy resource. It is a technological wave that researchers have been exploring for years. Now, Deep Green has launched it will continue to develop, this technology introducing a potentially important new innovation to society.
