Underwater ‘wind’ farm

What a great idea! A wind farm on the ocean floor.

Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) recently established Florida Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology are working on a pilot project that would plant test turbines on the ocean floor about 50 meters underwater. The turbines will be placed in the path of the Gulf Stream, a powerful current that flows through the Florida Straits. That current promises to be a massive source of potential energy to Florida residents and businesses.

I read that this has been attempted before and I am not sure why it wasn’t taken seriously although I imagine there wasn’t as great a need at the time to pursue the experiment.

The mills turn slower than they would on dry land but they would turn constantly and with the proper gearing would produces just as much if not more energy.

The constant motion of the Gulf Stream is very dependable and at more than eight billion gallons per minute it produces more than 30 times the total flow of all the world’s freshwater rivers.

The current is comparable to a 55 mile-per-hour gale which would drive each turbine to produce up to three megawatts of power. Three megawatts of power would supply the energy needs of 500 homes. This has great potential.