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> Probably the biggest issues I could imagine are maintenance and wildlife. They might be minor issues though. Might, yes, but I think it’s unlikely all proble
by Someone 3y ago
> Probably the biggest issues I could imagine are maintenance and wildlife. They might be minor issues though.
Might, yes, but I think it’s unlikely all problems will be minor. Salt water isn’t kind to metal, no matter how well painted. Also, I expect barnacles will start growing on it. If you’re a filter feeder, this may be even better than sitting on the sea bed or on a whale.
Question will be how much that effects their $/MWh calculation. The only real way to find out is to try, I guess.
- usrusr 3y agoThe good news is that we do have a bit of experience with metal machines that operate in sea water for decades. We (as in humanity, I don't) know exactly what to expect. You'd want to have a permanent service operation scaled exactly to how much overhauling capacity you need to put the tide kites in a round robin maintenance loop.
- hoseja 3y agoAnd yet, every other tidal powerplant has been rendered hopelessly useless by barnacles.
- usrusr 3y agoHave they? And how many of them can be ordered to surface under tide power, for easy maintenance access and towing into a maintenance dock without involving expensive divers? I presume the tether on this would be built long enough for controlled surfacing, a longer tether means larger deadzone between inbound and outbound tide, but there won't be much energy in the flow close to the turning point anyways.
- Sammi 3y agoWe are perfectly capable of removing barnacles from ship hulls. What makes these kite hulls different? These are just fancy boats you know.
- Brian_K_White 3y agoMaybe we don't even care if barnacles grow on it since it's kind of a water catcher anyway. Or if not this design, maybe one could be designed to either not care or even benefit from barnacles. Remove the whole problem of fighting it.