Water Turbine Touted as the Wave of the Future

by Jill Davis OnEarth Magazine, Spring 2005 What do Korea's Uldolmok Strait, New York's East River and the ocean off the coast of Devon have in common? All three locations are in the process of implementing a new helical turbine to generate electricity. Invented by Alexander Gorlov, an engineer working at Northeastern University's Hydro-Pneumatic Power Laboratory in Boston, the turbine has been designed to collect energy from free-flowing water, regardless of the water's speed. The unique cross-flow design allows for the blades to turn regardless of the direction of the flow of the current and the turbine can be placed in the water in a variety of positions for maximum efficiency. Gorlov is still seeking support from environmental experts in the hopes that the commercial future of his project can be realized. Read the article