Update On Verdant Power Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project, East River Water Turbines Replaced With More Environmental Friendly, Lower Cost & More Efficient Plastic Rotors - Roosevelt Island May Become Water, Solar, Renewable Energy Showcase To The World

As reported October 20, 2020:

Since 2002, Verdant Power's Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project (RITE) has been developing water turbine technology to generate electric power from the currents of the East River next to the Roosevelt Island Foodtown (formerly Gristedes) supermarket on the Queens side of the East River.

Last Thursday, October 22, Verdant Power continued development of the technology by deploying their 5th Generation Water Turbine in the East River....

Earlier this week, after the turbines have been in the East River for 6 months, Verdant Power returned to Roosevelt Island 

for a maintenance exercise to demonstrate how easily the turbines can go in and out of the water. 

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Also, Verdant Power retrieved and replaced the turbines installed 6 months ago with a new environmentally friendly plastic rotor designed by the US Department of Energy which Verdant says will lowers the cost and operate more efficiently for the next 6 months of testing in the East River salt water.

I spoke with Verdant Power's Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Trey Taylor last Wednesday before the new turbines were lowered back down into the East River.

Mr Taylor said to date the RITE East River water turbines have produced 200 megawatt hours of electricity for the Con Ed distribution power grid, which he says is a new record, and that the turbines have performed at a rate 40% higher than they thought it would.

Mr Taylor also spoke about working with Con Ed to set up energy storage on Roosevelt Island. He added that eventually, with the US Department of Energy, NY State and Empire State Development Corp, the RITE project could convert into a world class demonstration center of renewable hybrid energy systems leading to climate change improvements and many jobs.  

According to Mr Taylor, the hope is to turn Roosevelt Island into a water, solar and renewable energy showcase to the world.

Here's my conversation with Verdant Power's Trey Taylor.

More info on Verdant Power Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project at their web site and US Department of Energy.