BACKGROUNDER Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated (Clean Current) is a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation that will install an underwater turbine in the Bay of Fundy in 2009 to generate electricity from the tides. Clean Current designs and licenses proprietary technology for renewable energy systems. The Company’s patented technology includes underwater tidal turbines and specially designed permanent magnet generators for offshore wind devices.
Clean Current’s Tidal Turbine Generator Clean Current’s tidal turbines efficiently convert the kinetic energy of tidal currents into electricity. This electricity is renewable, predictable and creates no greenhouse gases. The tidal turbines are fully submerged, cause no visual impact on pristine marine environments and permit surface navigation. Simplicity, efficiency and operability in salt water are the key ingredients of a successful tidal technology.
Clean Current’s tidal turbine is a bi-directional ducted horizontal axis turbine with a direct drive variable speed permanent magnet generator. Operability is enhanced by a simple design that has one moving part - the rotor assembly that contains the permanent magnets. There is no drive shaft and no gearbox. The tidal turbine requires a major overhaul every 10 years and is expected to be in service for 25 to 30 years. During that time it will generate electricity with zero emissions, a minimal footprint on the bottom of the ocean and negligible impact on marine life.
Clean Current has designed a product family of three commercial scale tidal turbines sized to meet the needs of all deep water in-stream tidal energy sites. All three can be manufactured from the same basic platform. The three models permit the extraction of the most kilowatt hours of electricity from sites with different tidal velocities as follows:
· The Clean Current 2.2 is designed for tidal velocities that peak at 4.7 m/s (about 9 knots) and it is this model that will be demonstrated in the Bay of Fundy. Each 17 metre blade diameter device can produce 950 kW at 3 m/s and 2.2 MW at 4.1 m/s. · The Clean Current 1.5 performs best in tidal velocities that peak at 3.8 m/s (about 7 ½ knots). Each 17 metre blade diameter device can produce 1.5 MW at 3.25 m/s. · The Clean Current 1.0 performs best in tidal velocities that peak at 2.6 m/s (about 5 knots). Each 17 metre blade diameter device can produce 1 MW at 2.6 m/s.
The Bay of Fundy The Bay of Fundy is world renowned for the ferocity of its tidal currents. It is the largest single tidal energy resource in North America. The Clean Current 2.2, sited in tidal currents peaking at about 4.5 m/s, will deliver to the grid about 4 GW hours of electricity each year. If average residential consumption is about 10,000 kW hours per year, the Clean Current 2.2 can produce enough electricity to power about 400 homes. A farm of 200 devices would power about 80,000 homes.
Contact Glen Darou, President and CEO Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated Email: glen.darou@cleancurrent.com Web: www.cleancurrent.com
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