Florida Researchers Harnessing Gulf Stream for Electricity and Hydrogen

July 29, 2009 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Filed in: Hydrogen Fuel Production.

Florida Atlantic University researchers are investigating the merits of developing underwater turbines along Florida’s Gulfstream to provide electricity for homes and generate hydrogen for cars.

The Gulfstream for ships (similar in some ways to the jet stream for airplanes) help vessels move more quickly from the Caribbean, around Florida and into the upper-North Atlantic.

Before deploying the first underwater 20-kilowatt test turbine next year, the scientists wanted to check to see how powerful the Gulfstream is in certain locations. So the scientists deployed a series of Doppler current profilers off the East Coast of Florida this past April.

According to CNN Technology, “Researchers also are looking at ways to use the electricity that is generated underwater to generate and store hydrogen in the ocean. The hydrogen could be used to fuel clean-running cars and trucks.”

By supplying electricity to 4 million to 7 million Florida homes and hydrogen for fuel cell cars, the proposal merits further research in solving the state’s growing energy crisis.


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