'Underwater kite' aims to turn energy tide
By Matthew Knight for CNN
May 6, 2010 -- Updated 1512 GMT (2312 HKT)
Translated by bluelion
London, England (CNN) -- A new type of tidal turbine which its creators describe as an "underwater kite" has taken a step closer to becoming commercially available.
英國倫敦--CNN報導，新型的潮汐發電機，其創造者稱之為"水下風箏"，已即將邁向商業化階段。
"Deep Green," developed by Swedish start-up Minesto, has just secured €2 million ($2.5 million) from investors to fund testing scheduled to start in 2011.
由瑞典的新公司Minesto所開發的"深綠"(潮汐發電機之名稱)，已從投資者處獲得2百萬歐元(約2.5百萬美元)做為表定於2011年開始的測試資金。
The technology comprises of a turbine attached to a wing and rudder which is tethered to the ocean floor by 100 meters of cable.
此科技由一具發電機連結翼片和方向舵所組成，並由100公尺長的纜線繫留於海床上。
Anchoring "Deep Green" and steering the tethered "kite" enables the turbine to capture energy from the tidal currents at ten times the speed of the actual stream velocity, say Minesto.
Minesto表示：錨於海床的"深綠"和操縱被擊留的"風箏"可以讓發電機補捉從潮流而來，且十倍於實際的潮流速度的能量。
When operational, the turbine is expected to generate 500 kilowatts of power.
當運作時，發電機預期可產生500千瓦的電力。
One of the big advantages of their technology, Minesto executives say, is its small size -- 12 meters for the wingspan and one meter for the turbine -- relative to other tidal-energy designs.
Minesto主管表示：相對於其它潮汐能源設計，此科技最大的優勢是其尺寸小--其翼展12公尺、發電機1公尺大小。
According to Minesto's chief technical officer, Ted Rosendahl, this means that "Deep Green" can operate efficiently at sites with low current velocities and also at greater depths, allowing tidal energy to be implemented in new stretches of sea water.
根據Minesto首席技術主管--Ted Rosendhl，此意味者"深綠"可以於低洋流速度和較深的深度下有效率地運作，允許潮汐能量能運作於開闊的海水中。
The company hope to begin trials of a scale model in 2011 at Strangford Lough, in County Down, Northern Ireland -- which is already home to a commercial tidal power device operated by UK renewable energy company, SeaGen.
公司希望於2011年，於北愛爾蘭康蒂唐，斯特蘭福德湖開始全尺寸模型測試，北愛已是英商再生能源公司SeaGen之商用潮汐能源裝置首次運作地。
Rosendahl is confident that a commercial model of "Deep Green" will be available within four years but he says obstacles still remain.
Rosendahl深具信心其"深綠"之商用模型將會在四年內發表，但仍有些障礙。
"We are in the development stage at the moment so there are many things to look into. Of course there are things in the environment that we don't know about fully yet," Rosendahl told CNN.
他告訴CNN，"我們此刻正在發展階段，因此仍有許多事情需要深入研究，當然這包括許多在周遭環境中我們全然未知的事物。"
Minesto was founded in 2007 and the project began back in 2003 as a spin-off from experiments at the auto and aircraft manufacturer Saab.
Minesto創於2007年，而此專案始於2003年由汽車和飛機製造廠Saab實驗的意外收穫而來。
There are currently a variety of tidal energy systems on trial around the world, but according to the Energy Systems Research Unit at the UK's University of Strathclyde there are just two main methods employed.
目前世界上有多種潮汐能源系統，但根據英國斯特拉斯克萊德大學的能源系統研究小組，只有兩種主要方式被使用。
One is tidal barrages, which use technology similar to that found in hydropower stations, while tidal stream systems -- like Minesto's "Deep Green" -- use the motion of the tide and work in a similar way to wind power generation.
一種是潮汐堰壩，其使用科技類似於水力發電廠，同時，潮汐洋流系統--像"深綠"--使用潮汐的變化並且作用方式像是風力發電機。
Luke Blunden, a researcher at the Sustainable Energy Research Group at the UK's University of Southampton, is optimistic about tidal power's prospects.
Luke Blnden，英國南安普敦大學的永續能源研究小組的研究員對於潮汐能源的前景表示樂觀。
"Tidal energy has the winning feature of being predictable -- in time particularly -- which makes it inherently more valuable," Blunden told CNN.
他告訴CNN，"潮汐能源已具有可預測的迷人特性--特別是在時間的部分，這讓它的天性更有價值。
"Although it is more expensive, I think its reliability will win out in the end. It's not a [total] solution, but it will be part of the energy mix."
"儘管它可能是更貴的能源，但我認為它的可靠性將會在最終勝出。它不會是[完全的]解決方案，但會是混合能源的一部份。"
