RenewablesOffshore

Wave and Tidal Powered Data Centers: Need for Space Launches A Futurist Concept

 

As reliance on computers increases, so too does the need for expansive data storage -- and today's major players are looking to the oceans to find that space. As you've probably already heard, Google is exploring the possibility of an offshore data facility , powered with Pelamis wave energy converter units. And now, Morgan Stanley is considering a plan to develop a tidal powered data center in Scotland’s Pentland Firth, which separates the Orkney Islands from the Scottish mainland.

Many of the pros and cons of wave or tidal powered data centers are considered in an article by Shawn McCarthy in Government Computer News.  In McCarthy's view, siting a data center offshore might prove less expensive than dealing with the costs of local property owners and onerous land based zoning requirements.  (Of course, as you probably know from reading this blog, siting a project offshore is hardly a cake-walk, and indeed, may prove more complicated than a space walk!).  McCarthy also makes the point that floating data centers can be floated out of harms way, so they may be less vulnerable to natural disasters than land based facility.

But the biggest benefit that would arise from floating data systems, in McCarthy's view, is that "they can help bring the idea of electricity generation from wave power and tidal power from early adolescence into maturity." Data centers are big ticket items that could attract substantial private investment, some of which could be used to support addition improvements to wave and tidal energy to power the data centers.  Morever, because the data centers would be located close to the power source, developers would save transmission costs and also avoid potential power losses that can arise when offshore power is transported over long distances.

So what's the catch?  Well, the lawyer in me hates to be a naysayer, but it's not entirely clear what regulatory scheme would govern offshore data centers, particularly those located beyond state submerged lands, on the Outer Continental Shelf.  If you're interested, I'm willing to share my thoughts on the likely regulatory regime that would apply to offshore data systems, but for now, that's a topic for a future post.

It's the Industry, Stupid

Remember It's the economy, stupid, the phrase coined by political strategist James Carville back in 1992? A similar iteration of that phrase comes to my mind with increasing frequency when I think of the marine renewables industry: it's the industry, stupid.

What I mean by that is while the United States should be developing marine renewables because they'll help lead to energy independence and address climate change, let's face it...those goals are a long way off. Moreover, it's unlikely that marine renewables, even when fully mature will meet the majority of our energy needs. Yet even with these considerations, there are compelling reasons to pursue marine renewables, and that's...the industry, stupid.

Hybrid Projects

Up at Renewable Energy Access, I have a quick Ask the Experts post on the potential for hybrid offshore wind and wave and/or tidal offshore energy projects. Check it out!

The Solution to Intermittancy in Offshore Wind? Hybrids!

Ah, intermittency, one of the frequently cited disadvantages to wind power.  Because the wind doesn't blow all the time, and you can't store energy, wind projects can't produce a steady stream of energy 24/7, hence they are regarded as "intermittent" power sources.  So what's the solution to intermittency?  One is to put plants in high wind regions, such as offshore where the wind blows more frequently.  And another solution is the hybrid project:  teaming wind up with a steadier source of baseload power than can come on line when the wind's not blowing. 

And as this article, UK Approves World's First Hybrid Plant (2/8/07) reports, the UK government has given the go-ahead to a unique hybrid project in the Irish Sea which will generate electricity from wind and then gas when wind dies down.  From the article:

Eclipse Energy expects its Ormonde project, off the coast of northwest England near Barrow in Furness, to produce most of its energy from 30 wind turbines.It will also use gas from nearby gas fields in Morecambe Bay to produce power on small platforms out at sea before sending the electricity down a subsea cable to the UK power network. "The Ormonde scheme is unusual in that it will combine wind and gas power to produce continuous electricity for the region," energy minister Lord Truscott said in a statement.

The Ormonde Project is an interesting endeavor, and a smart way to address one of the most criticized aspects of wind energy.  Moreover, the project may open the door for other hybrids, like offshore wind/solar or offshore wind/tidal and wave.  The possibilities are endless, and when it comes to energy supply, we need to explore all of the possibilities we can identify.

New York Tidal Project Update

This week's news brought this article, Underwater Generator Could Be the Wave of the City's Future, (CityLimits.org, 1/22/07) on tidal power in New York.  The article reports on both Verdant Power's Roosevelt Island Project in the East River, which is now supplying power to a local supermarket.  And now, a hybrid solar, wind and tidal project is being planned for Randall's Island in New York City.  According to the article, New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation is in final contract negotiations with Highland, NY-based Natural Currents Energy Services to build a hybrid wind, solar and tidal-energy power plant on Randall’s Island in the East River, which would be funded by funds from the Department of Energy. 

The article reports that plant operation will begin in 2009, but that seems awfully optimistic.  Given the lengthy process (several years) involved in siting the Roosevelt Island turbines, it's hard to imagine that a project involving not one, but three separate technologies will move through the permitting process quickly enough to come on line in two years.  Or perhaps, the lessons learned from Verdant's Roosevelt Island siting will help move similar permitting processes forward at a speedier pace.