Aquanator
The Aquanator was a small-scale tidal-power device, a device which uses rows of hydrofoils to generate electricity from water currents. It was invented by Australian Michael Perry.
History
[edit]The Aquanator was announced in 2004. A contract to test the device was signed with Country Energy on 26 September 2004.[1]
The test site was located at 38°30′59″S 145°21′53″E / 38.5163°S 145.3648°E. In 2006 it was connected to the national grid.[2] The device test site was decommissioned in May 2008 by owner Atlantis Resources.[3]
Description
[edit]The Aquanator used ocean current to produce electricity. It was intended to generate power even with a small flow of 1.5 knots.[4] The test device had a capacity of 5 kW. The aquanator's slow moving hydrofoil design was meant to provide a green energy source which would not harm ocean life as faster moving turbines might.[5]
Economy
[edit]At the time, the Aquanator was meant to be cheaper than diesel fuels, with costs about the same amount as wind power and one sixth the price of diesel-powered systems.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Inventor taps into a new energy source". 27 September 2004.
- ↑ Snieckus, Darius (25 November 2012) [13 August 2009]. "Atlantis emerges out of a high tide". www.rechargenews.com. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
- ↑ "History". Atlantis Resources Corporation. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ↑ "Underwater Energy from Australia's Aquanator". Positive News. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 23 May 2025 – via Truthforce.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Innovations that won't cost the Earth" (PDF). foryou. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
External links
[edit]- "Could the ocean be used to power our cities?", Mark Vale, ABC South East NSW, 12 December 2003