Product and Services
Tidal Technology
Natural Currents’s low vertical water design differs from other tidal turbine systems in the market today since they can operate in relatively shallow depths (less than 5 meters) whereas most other units are designed to operate in depths greater then 40 feet. This is a critical differentiating factor that separates Natural Currents from many of the other designs in the market.
The unique design affords for a lower cost solution since it’s closer to the grid connection, but also provides one of the only renewable energy solutions that in many geographic locations can offer base load renewable energy. Additionally, the ability to deploy the systems in shallower water meaningfully expands the addressable market opportunity beyond a traditional power source to grid connection; it opens the door to many unique commercial off the grid applications.
Protecting Coastal Areas using Living Reefs
Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC is a renewable energy company with 12 years experience in the field renewables, NC is developing offshore and tidal energy projects in the US, Europe and Caribbean.
Beginning in 2010, NC completed shoreline protection in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in cooperation with the UN Partnership for Small Island Developing States and the Global Coral Reef Alliance. In cold water areas shoreline protection is accomplished with Bio-Rock oyster reefs.
Bio-Rock reefs are developed using steel rebar or scrap steel that is fashioned into a reef structure and submerged at an offshore location that serves as a protective reef. The structure is then continually charged with a safe low voltage DC electric current that mimics the action of marine animals such as corals, oysters, or clams that extract lime stone in the form of calcium and magnesium carbonate from the seawater.
The steel structure becomes covered with a continuous, super-strong coating of limestone that is 3 to 5 times as strong as Portland cement. The coating becomes 1 – 2 “ thick in 6 months. If it becomes damaged it is self-repairing. The resulting structure provides protection from storm surge as it attenuates or reduces the power of waves moving through it, dissipating the power of the wave as it moves through the porous reef before it reached the shoreline.
• The Bio-Rock forms an excellent growth substrate for oyster reef formation
• The Reef structure attracts and supports Marine Restoration and Fisheries
• The cost of the shoreline protection is <10% of seawall construction and is longer lasting
• The power to build the Bio-Reef can be supplied by renewable energy, i.e. solar or tidal
For more information contact: Jenai Rohllf at jrohllf@naturalcurrents.com