Resource World Magazine

a p r i l / m a y 2 0 1 5 www.resourceworld.com 59 failure-prone membrane has been eliminated and the balance of the system has been simplified, offering a smaller, lighter, and cheaper fuel cell. The MRFC additionally uses liquid fuels, avoiding the difficulties associated with storing and distributing gaseous hydrogen. Mantra Energy and its partners continue to research process improvement, to explore ways to reduce energy consumption, to improve efficiency, to increase catalyst activity and selectivity, and to develop a turnkey system. another look at water-Generated power With a company motto, "Energy that doesn't cost the earth," Jupiter Hydro Inc. (formerly Creative Energy Solutions) makes simple hydrokinetic generators, or helical turbines, that harvest energy from spillways, rivers and tidal flows, and ocean currents. Jupiter's stated goal is to provide robust, low cost, and efficient in-stream water power technologies. For over 2,500 years, Jupiter's core technology, the helical tur- bine, or Archimedes screw, has moved or lifted water, grain, and other products. Dentists use augers (drills) that are ¼-inch in diameter, and sewage plants use screws up to 15 feet in diameter. As reported in the February 2012 issue of Resource World, Jupiter Hydro built prototype units as a first step toward commer- cialization after a Q4, 2012 study by the University of Calgary that confirmed how effective helical screws are for harvesting energy from moving water. Jupiter started with a 36-inch diameter tur- bine and then moved to a 42-inch turbine. The data collected from testing these two units formed the basis of a front end engi- neering design to create a commercial unit with 84-inch turbines. Jupiter delivers electricity at a wholesale cost of US $0.10 or less per kilowatt-hour. Tidal resources provide approximately 748 gigawatts of global electricity potential. The turbines wouldn't replace large-scale power plants but could help close gaps in the electrical grid. Jupiter uses off-the-shelf-generators that operate above the water, lowering the operation and building costs with a simple floating "catamaran" construction. The device is strong and scale- able and can be deployed in remote areas or in nations without a national transmission grid, bringing electricity to work camps and villages along rivers. The helical screw system can be deployed at low cost, beneath hydro infrastructure, in spillways and can increase the energy production yields by 2% without increasing the dam flood plain or re-engineering the primary powerhouse. Jupiter's deployment is quick and safe. Routine maintenance can be carried out without complex, expensive and dangerous under- water operations. Looking at environmental benefits, Jupiter reports that one megawatt of Jupiter-installed turbine will generate greenhouse gas savings of 3,500 tonnes per annum of CO 2 . Because the tur- bine is installed at a 30° angle to the flow, the helical screw is also fish and wild life friendly. These screws are commonly used for fish ladders. The Jupiter Hydro turbine is a solid bright yellow screw which, as opposed to a blade, is easy for most marine life to see. If marine life does get into the screw, it would simply roll though and out of the turbine. Also, because of its 30° angle, most debris rolls through the screw. The thick, strong, but slightly flexible, plastic screw is more robust than thin prop blades. Prop blades installed at a 90° angle to the flow require stronger anchoring and much stronger bearings and when debris hits those blades they can be easily damaged. Jupiter has applied for patents in over 60 countries. The patent is based on the angle of orientation to the flow and the pitch of the screw. A screw outside the patented range would be less than 30% as effective. Jupiter is in discussions with a major North American eco- tourist destination to deploy a fully engineered commercial 700 kilowatt/hour, four-screw turbine to meet their needs. This will make Jupiter Hydro one of the few to reach cost-effective com- mercialization in this field. n

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