Green tech is a young business. Sure, large, well-capitalized leaders are beginning to appear in many fields: wind energy, solar and biofuels.
Global Energies of Montana is working on a hydraulic waterwheel only 22 feet in width
But the fluidity of the market and its rapidly evolving technology is the product of tens of thousands of tiny start-ups in all corners of the industry.
One of these is Global Energies of Great Falls, Montana, which believes it has an idea for revolutionizing energy from water.
The three-person company designed a hydraulic waterwheel that it says will turn the water flow in canals and streams into electricity. The costs of the electricity, the company says, could be below that generated from fossil fuels.
CEO David Brockes says getting the money to build prototypes is his biggest hurdle. Two angels are looking at its technology (names withheld) but so far no check has been written.
The prospect of mining energy from the motion of water is not Global Energies’ alone. High profile tidal energy projects have recently kickoff in Scotland and at the Bay of Fundy in Canada.
But the scale of these large initiatives contrasts with the more modest – perhaps more accessible – plans of Global Energies. The device the company hopes to build is 22 feet in width, 9 feet high and fits into a canal of about the same size. The machine should generate 150 KW by pumping hydraulic fluid to a generator on shore.
Brockes says Montana has given him permission to test the devices in two canals – if he can build them. The wheel should be fish friendly because it spins more slowly than the current of the water, permitting fish to swim through with ease.
Like start-ups elsewhere, Global Energies believes it has found a device that can change the world. All it needs is money. Like a thousand start-ups elsewhere, it hopes to keep the clean tech industry the dynamic place it is.
picture before you do anything. Cause a lot of people fail in that area, they think they’re ready and just end up failing when they could have taken it slowly and easily.