Power That Infrastructure, Ye Seadogs!

by Jordan Yerman | May 28, 2008 at 06:45 am

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Yeah, I just wanted to use that headline, but there really is a prototype hydroelectric generator called a Seadog, which converts ocean wave energy into electricity without any electronics of its own. The idea is for delsalination plants (which suck up a lot of power to remove salt from seawater) to provide their own electricity using tidal power.

"We are planning our first commercial demonstration facility by year-end 2008 or first-quarter 2009, and have already applied for permitting through the required regulatory agencies," said Doug Sandberg, a company vice president.

Independent Natural Resources plans to have an 18-pump field in the Gulf of Mexico used to desalinate seawater.

Ocean power is, for the most part, experimental technology. One company called Marine Current Technologies is expecting to commission a 1.2-megawatt installation in Ireland in the coming months.

(I'm not affiliated with Independent Natural Resources, which built the Seadog prototype)

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