element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Power & Energy
  • Technologies
  • More
Power & Energy
Blog Japan plans on deploying a massive turbine to power its country
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Quiz
  • Documents
  • Polls
  • Events
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Group Actions
  • Group RSS
  • More
  • Cancel
EMI-Reduction-Techniques
Engagement
  • Author Author: Catwell
  • Date Created: 23 Aug 2022 7:27 PM Date Created
  • Views 1084 views
  • Likes 6 likes
  • Comments 1 comment
  • japan
  • cabeatwell
  • energy_harvesting
  • power management
  • power
  • energy
  • summer of green technology
  • innovation
Related
Recommended

Japan plans on deploying a massive turbine to power its country

Catwell
Catwell
23 Aug 2022

image

Japan’s Kairyu prototype completed its three-and-a-half-year field test, proving its ability to generate power in the deep ocean. (Image Credit: IHI)

More unique power generation again today. The ocean seems to be the next big source.

The ocean potentially holds the key to unlocking limitless energy due to its powerful flow, serving as another renewable source. Japan plans to deploy a gigantic turbine atop the ocean’s floor, harnessing the current’s power to generate unlimited energy for the country. Developed by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI), this turbine is powerful, large, and heavy enough to achieve such a task.

In 2017, IHI collaborated with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to perform field tests on the turbine design. It deployed the Kairyu (translated to “ocean current”) prototype off Japan’s southwestern coast. In February, this smaller turbine prototype completed its three-and-a-half-year field test, demonstrating that it can operate as a sustainable long-term solution.

The 330-ton Kairyu prototype has a 66-foot-long fuselage sandwiched between two similar-sized cylinders containing a power generation system connected to a 36-foot-long turbine blade. Once it’s tethered to the ocean floor via an anchor line and power cables, the turbine positions itself to follow the deep-water current’s motion for power generation. Afterward, the turbine channels that power into a grid.

image

A general overview of the Kairyu prototype. (Image Credit: IHI)

Japan typically relies on fossil fuel imports to generate most of its power. Public interest in nuclear energy for power generation has drastically decreased due to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The country also features mountainous terrain, providing minimal opportunity to install wind turbines or solar panels. On the downside, the nation can’t seek renewable energy trade opportunities with other countries due to its far-away location. Japan is taking advantage of its technological advancements to overcome those obstacles with renewable energy sources.

The small nation has long coastal water stretches. In that case, the North Pacific gyre contributes to the swirling ocean just to the east. The gyre is channeled into the powerful Kuroshio current just off the Japanese coast. According to IHI, harnessing this current could generate approximately 205 gigawatts of power annually, equal to Japan’s yearly power generation.

However, rough ocean waters, including typhoons, could damage a power generation system deployed near the surface. So the Kairyu prototype is designed to sit 164 feet below the surface. It produces drag to spin the turbines while floating toward the surface. The device remains stabilized due to the turbines spinning in opposite directions.

Overall, the prototype pumped out 100 kilowatts of power due to the one to two meters of water flow per second. Perhaps that’s a small number, but an even larger turbine can withstand stronger ocean currents and generate much more power. Japan could install an underwater power generation farm off its coast within the next decade, depending on whether the tech can be up-scaled. If successful, then entire countries could rely on ocean currents for power.

You don't have permission to edit metadata of this video.
Edit media
x
image
Upload Preview
image

But, I feel this harnessing of the ocean is sure to display the fragile creatures and life of the ocean. Is there a limit that this should be allowed?

Have a story tip? Message me at: http://twitter.com/Cabe_Atwell

  • Sign in to reply
  • robogary
    robogary over 2 years ago

    I hope it is Godzilla proofed. 

    image

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2025 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

ICP 备案号 10220084.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube