Diffuser-augmented Floating Hydro-turbines: a Future Option for Marine-Current Power Generation

F. L. PONTA; P. M. JACOVKIS; A. D. OTERO (EXPOSITOR)

Florencia, Italia

Congreso; World Renewable Energy Congress IX and Exhibition; 2006

World Renewable Energy Network and Congress

The oceans represent a huge energy reservoir consistent of stored solar and gravitational energy in several forms, causing ceaseless movements of unimaginable numbers of cubic kilometers of water. This energy is generally diffuse, but in many cases, significantly more  concentrated than other forms of renewable energy already being successfully exploited on  land. From the ocean-energy resources, the most promising are wave and marine-current energy. Especially, the latter inherits a substantial benefit from the extended technological experience in design, construction and instalation of wind turbines gained during the last  decades. The objective of this article is to introduce a technological solution which could help to reach the goal of extracting energy from the oceans. We shall describe the main features of a floating marine-current-power system that introduces conceptual innovations in order to  improve the technical and economical performance.