A professor and student team have designed a network of modular floating docks to harness clean energy for New York City.
The eco-docks would generate the energy by harnessing tidal power from the city’s rivers; they should also help to add much needed green space above the dirty waters.
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The docking stations would plug into the piers already along New York’s riverside, though they would eventually be extended to help maximize energy generation. The expansion would also make room for more public green space and tidal pools for wildlife. Once completed, the docks’ designers hope that they will serve as an educational tool to encourage energy awareness, as well as remind the public of the connection between the water’s edge and the city’s interior.
In fact, the designers believe that the energy generated from the docks would be enough to light the streets of New York. Three vertical turbines would be fastened underneath each dock, which should generate up to 24 kilowatts of constant energy created by the bi-directional four mph current, supporting 350 LED streetlamps. And that’s just the energy generated for each dock module. Of course, the designers hope there would be plenty of room for more than just one.
The docks would also serve the functional purpose of expanding the public’s access to the rivers and create more recreational opportunities. And let’s face it, they’d also add some much needed aesthetic to a river system that’s awfully murky.
Source: ScienceDaily
Image Credit: Sarah Parsons, via ScienceDaily
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