From the high mountain desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Yakutat, the recognized surfing capitol of Alaska, comes a plan to harvest perpetually free alternative energy. Energy generated by the waves that currently make local and international surfers happy.
Useable electric energy is transferred to shore without further use of diesel fuel. Payback time is only a few years before energy is free.
And not only financially free, but environmentally free as well. There seems to be no downside when it comes to counting the effects on nature.
In fact, the effects on the environment seem to be all positive.
Pytoplankton is increased by upwelling ocean currents enhanced by the process. This significantly increases the carbon dioxide capture capacity of near-surface water.
Environmental results include significant carbon sequestration helping mitigate climate change, enhanced algae/phytoplankton production, and the resulting food chain increases.
Toward the top of that ocean food chain are the fish we humans enjoy catching and eating.
Philip Kithil is the CEO of Atmocean, Inc. He and the company have conducted several dozen exhibitions of their patent-pending technology in numerous countries and American states including Hawaii.
Phil's commute to work is long in that he and his company headquarters are in ocean-free New Mexico. No, he can't see the ocean or Russia from his house.
Atmoceans' 44 inch diameter pumps float at or near the surface of an ocean area prone to constant waves. The pump is connected to a tube lying on the ocean floor.
The energy is generated by paddles suspended down the vertical tube which connects the pump to the horizontal tube lying on the ocean bottom.
It leads back to an electrical plant on the shore which then captures the energy and converts it to electricity.
Once installed there is no more diesel or hydrocarbon fuel needed to run this system.
The paddles move up and down underwater with the natural action of the waves. Through the wave energy the paddles create hydraulic pressure sent to the surface pump.
In turn that energy is sent back down the connecting tube to the horizontal tube and over to the power plant.
2.4 cents per useable kilowatt hour is the calculated total cost of installing and maintaining this alternative energy system.
Anchorage electricity costs are approximately four times that.
Many rural Alaska communities pay ten to fifteen times that kilowatt cost. Future diesel prices are expected to rise faster than the average cost of living.
Energy pricing will be a future factor in numerous communities' decision to stay in existence or abandon them for life in the city.
Follow us through the next few blog postings as we meet some fine folks from Yakutat. We will learn again that there is no shortage of energy and how climate change can be reversed and how we can all have as much sustainable salmon and halibut as we want.