Hydrokinetic and Marine Energy Technologies, Wave and Tidal Power Turbines - Power from Moving Water, Research Programs, Environmental Risks, Innovative Conversion Device Concepts, Siting (DVD-ROM)

This electronic book on DVD-ROM provides a collection of authoritative official documents and technical reports about hydrokinetic energy - power derived from moving water, including wave, marine, and tidal plants. While traditional hydropower is a well-established industry, advanced water power technologies that produce electricity from moving water without the use of a dam are now emerging in the renewable energy sector. These technologies, known as hydrokinetics, generate electricity from the motion of waves, the free flow of tides, ocean currents, or inland waterways. As part of its broad effort to advance the renewable energy industry, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding various market acceleration projects designed to address key issues associated with hydrokinetic technologies that harness renewable energy from the nation s oceans and rivers. Hydrokinetic energy conversion devices are designed to be deployed in a stream or current, capturing kinetic energy from the flow of water across or through the rotor (which may take various forms) to power a generator without impounding or diverting the flow of the water resource. Conceptually, this is similar to the way wind energy conversion devices work. Wave energy conversion devices create a system of reacting forces, in which two or more bodies move relative to each other, while at least one body interacts with the waves. The body moved by the waves is called the displacer, while the body that reacts to the displacer is called the reactor. There are many ways that such a system may be configured, including: oscillating water columns (OWC), point-absorbers, attenuators, and overtopping devices. Setting for these various technologies include natural streams, tidal estuaries, near-shore environments, offshore and ocean locations, and constructed waterways. Technologies covered include wave energy conversion devices, terminators, oscillating water columns, point absorbers, attenuators, overtopping devices, in-stream tidal flow energy conversion devices (TISECs), horizontal axis, vertical axis, axial flow machines, open center turbines, ducted turbines, turbine matrix, helical turbines, heave wave devices, heave-surge wave devices, overtopping wave devices, and more. The collection also includes information about hydroelectric power and related technologies such as dams, turbines, and microhydropower. There is new material about current federal government funding opportunities and incentives, advanced hydropower technology research, turbine field testing, engineering and analysis, response of turbine-passed fish, biomarkers, and salmon research plans. Research and development activities of the Department of Energy are covered, with information on technology development, projects, history, safety, and environmental impact. There is also material from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding licensing, compliance, safety and inspections of hydropower and the hydropower industry. Coverage includes water energy resources, state assessment reports, and more.