A new type of tidal turbine which its creators describe as an "underwater kite" has taken a step closer to becoming commercially available.
"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.
The technology comprises of a turbine attached to a wing and rudder which is tethered to the ocean floor by 100 meters of cable.
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.
When operational, the turbine is expected to generate 500 kilowatts of power.
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.
