NewYork To Gain Current Project

This article, Tidal flow to power New York City, Helen Pearson, Nature, (8/9/2004) reports on a proposed tidal current project for the East River in New York City. Verdant Power , an energy company based in Arlington will be developing the project. The plan is to attach the machines, which look like small wind turbines, to concrete piles hammered into the bedrock nine metres below the river's surface. As the tide surges in and out, the heads pivot to face the current and the blades spin. The project will start out generating just 200 kilowatts at peak but there are plans for expansion to add 200-300 more turbines. As the article reports, the UN headquarters in Manhattan is among those who have expressed interest in tapping into the environmentally friendly energy that would be produced by the project.