Ecologia, Medio Ambiente y Energias Renovables en la Naturaleza

"Issuing a pilot license for an innovative technology is a major step in the effort to help our country meet our renewable energy goals. FERC's pilot process is doing what it should: allow for exploration of new renewable technologies while protecting the environment," chairman Jon Wellinghoff said.

Verdant Power's Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project, to be built in three phases, will install up to 30 commercial class turbines with five generator units mounted on the riverbed to capture energy from tidal flow.

Verdant must begin construction on Phase 1 within the next two years and must complete phase 3 within six years. Completion date is within the fourth quarter of 2015.

The project will require a minimum six-year operating period, aside from the time allotted for initial construction and potential removal, and is expected to bring about an annual energy production of 1,680-2,400 megawatt-hours.

Verdant Power's application was submitted under the commission's newly established Hydrokinetic Pilot Project Licensing Procedure which was crafted to allow for the advancement of hydrokinetic technologies while maintaining FERC oversight and agency input.

Projects eligible for a pilot license should be small, which means less than 5 MW. It must be short-term, located in an environmentally non-sensitive area, removable and can be shut down on short notice, removed before the end of the license term unless the licensee obtains a new license, and initiated by a draft application with appropriate environmental analysis.

National potential

Last week, the Department of Energy released a national wave and tidal energy study that assessed the energy potential of America's wave and tidal resources.

This study concluded that harnessing the power of the waves and the tides along the coastal United States can provide approximately 1,420 terawatt-hours of energy a year or 15 percent of the nation's energy needs by 2030.

FERC had already issued 100 preliminary permits totaling 12,784 MW comprising 26 tidal, six wave and 68 inland water projects to study potential hydro-energy projects that tap water's natural flow. Nine entities, with a generation capacity of 8,238 MW, are in the pre-filing stages of developing license applications while three others (2.855 MW) have filed license applications.(Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez)

EcoSeed -