Underwater windmills: A new spin on energy

As consumers worry over an uncertain energy future, a Virginia company is eyeing an unusual untapped power source: the rivers of the Big Apple.

Within weeks, Verdant Power plans to submerge experimental turbines in the East River off the coast of Roosevelt Island, a slice of land squeezed between Manhattan and Queens.

Resembling and working much like stout underwater windmills, the six 15-foot-tall turbines will draw energy from tidal currents to power a nearby supermarket and parking garage.

The company calls the project the first to use multiple underwater turbines to create usable power. Backers say the technology could ultimately provide a reliable, environmentally friendly and largely invisible solution to many global energy needs.

By DAVID HO – Cox News Service

Full Story: http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/05/21/business/e03052106_01.txt