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Holden, MA - Nov 20, 2009 - Alden Research Laboratory, Inc. will participate in two projects administered by the U.S. Department of Energy for testing the impact on fish of two new clean energy technologies. The contracts are each valued up to $600,000. Work on both projects is expected to begin within six months.
In one contract, Alden will assess fish behavior around hydrokinetic turbines and evaluate whether these devices, which generate electricity from moving water, will harm aquatic organisms. Hydrokinetic turbines can be placed in rivers and tidal areas with fast moving water. Unlike conventional hydropower turbines, hydrokinetic turbines do not require placement within dams. Consequently, these devices allow fish to migrate upstream and downstream without the obstruction caused by large impoundments.
The project will generate data on behavior, injury, and survival rates of fish passing through hydrokinetic turbines. Alden and the USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory (CAFRL) in Turners Falls, Mass. will conduct the research on behalf of the lead contractor, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) based in Palo Alto, Calif. The research may minimize or eliminate the need for expensive field studies on future hydrokinetic turbine installations. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued more than 175 preliminary permits for tidal and in-stream hydrokinetic projects in the U.S., though few have moved beyond the conceptual stage.
“Based on studies conducted by New York University in 1986, almost 13,000 megawatts, the equivalent of roughly six-and-a-half nuclear power plants, could potentially be generated by hydrokinetic turbines in riverine environments in the U.S.,” says Doug Dixon, program manager of water power research for EPRI. The full generating potential in tidal waters has yet to be quantified in a formal study, but it is significant—though less than 13,000 megawatts, Dixon says.
In a separate contract, Alden will perform field research for a potential ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plant in Hawaii. OTEC converts solar radiation to electric power by using the ocean’s natural thermal gradient—the variation in temperature between the ocean’s layers—to drive a power-producing cycle. Alden will conduct biological sampling at the proposed warm water intake location at Port Allen, Kauai in order to estimate its potential impact on aquatic life. Alden will also assist in developing a conceptual design for the intake, which, among other results, will help determine a preliminary cost for such a structure. This project is an early-stage environmental feasibility study and the overall goal is to promote the effective and environmentally responsible development of the OTEC industry.
Ocean Engineering and Energy Systems (OCEES) International, Inc. of Honolulu, Hawaii is the lead contractor for this project. OTEC is a promising alternative energy resource for tropical island communities that rely heavily on imported fuel.
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