REAC Energy GmbH, Germany, have developed the ‘StreamCube’, a scalable, cube-shaped water wheel that might be what the market has been waiting for to make tidal power commercially viable. The device is similar to the conventional water wheel, only it’s anchored deep underwater and uses currents to produce energy. The module works using vertical rotor axes that are set in motion by the pressure of inflowing water.
Depending on the positioning of the rotor, the blades fold on or off. The StreamCube units can also be lined up or stacked depending on what they are being used for. REAC recently completed testing the StreamCube in Orkney with the help of international marine contractors, Leask Marine. This location, off the north coast of Scotland, has become a hot-spot for testing wave and tidal devices.
This is because of the many natural tidal currents around the archipelago and its connection to the Scottish grid. The results from the trial will help REAC finalize the full-scale prototype before it progresses towards commercialization. REAC claim their device has a low cost, is easily transportable and has little impact on the environment, amongst other benefits.
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Tidal currents to produce electricity
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