OVERVIEW
Tidal Energy Pty Ltd (TE) researchers have developed a world leading if not world best under water turbine capable of harvesting the energy in moving water. Called the Davidson-Hill Venturi Turbine it is a turbine that is housed in a venturi shroud or duct. Performing more like a jet engine this shroud accelerates the flow of water across the turbine, boosting the turbine efficiency by 3 times. TE turbines are capable of generating power from 10 kW to 10 MW. Power produced can be used to supplement existing diesel generators, pump up the grid, desalinate sea water or produce hydrogen.
WORLD RECORD
Independently third party accredited in October 2003, TE achieved the world record result of the highest efficiency 384% (compared to an open turbine in free stream) ever achieved from a hydraulic turbine. See - http://www.cyberiad.net/library/pdf/bk_tidal_paper25apr06.pdf
GRANTS
With COMET, QSEIF, RBDS and WYBIQ Australian and Queensland Government Grants the technology has passed proof of concept, scale up, beta and commercial prototype testing proving that it is able to be deployed over a wide variety of sites.
ACADEMIC COLLABORATION
TE has developed key industry alliances with research academics in the Griffith University Centre for Costal Management and Professor Rodger Tomlinson, Queensland University of Technology and Professor Graeme Millar and world leading water turbine expert Dr. Brian Kirke.
MARKET AND CUSTOMERS
In rivers or the entrances to bays, between an island and the mainland or in open ocean currents, turbines can be slung under a floating pontoon in sheltered waters or fixed to the seabed in the open ocean. In seaways and open oceans where the currents vary in direction, the turbines are fitted with a "passive" swivel base that passively points the turbine upstream for optimal performance.
GLOBAL PATENTS
Global Patents (held in trust) have been awarded under the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) in the USA Canada, all of the EU, India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil and New Zealand.
MARKET SIZE AND SALES
The global market for TE turbines is so large it is difficult to estimate. Expressions of interest and contracts for engineering services have been received from the USA, Bangladesh, India Liberia, Indonesia, NZ and Chile. Sales contracts for sales of AU$20 million worth of product have been signed to supply a South American company.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
The first of a suite of modular 1.5 meter rotor turbines that can be flat packed for shipping to any location for assembly in situ are about to roll off the production line. A 5 meter rotor turbine proposed for the Rainbow Channel in Moreton Bay Queensland will be installed in 2012 to be followed by remote and rural costal and island communities, small costal towns then larger coastal cities around Australia. The winner of numerous awards and claimed by some sources as one of the great inventions of the last hundred years TE has potential to grow rapidly into a multi billion dollar global power utility enterprise attracting serious interest from overseas. TE founders Aaron Davidson and Craig Hill plan where possible to keep the technology IP and manufacture in Australia.
For more information see http://tidalenergy.com.au