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"A Massachusetts research program just got a nice big grant from the National Science Foundation to work on harnessing ocean currents and tidal flows using underwater kites. The potential: Power equal to about 10 nuclear power plants.\nSEE ALSO: Top Wacky Wind Turbines: Photos\n\nThis kite-flying is being led by David Olinger, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute specializing in wind and wave turbines. In the past, he and his students developed a very inexpensive kite-powered water pump for developing nations. Now he\u2019s looking to create small tethered, undersea kites that can \u201Cfly\u201D quickly in currents. The NSF recently awarded Olinger\u2019s new research program $300,000, WPI reported.\nOlinger cited the Gulf Stream, the massive underwater current flowing from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean. That power potential is estimated at about 20 gigawatts, or about 10 nuclear power plants. \"Just as wind turbines can convert moving air into electricity, there is the potential to transform these virtually untapped liquid \u2018breezes\u2019 into vast amounts of power,\u201D he told WPI.\nStarting in January, Olinger and his team will begin computer modeling to figure out how the kites should be tethered, where to put turbine-generators, what the environmental impacts could be and how to maximize power generation. Finally, they\u2019ll build full-scale models to test in large water tanks at WPI and the Alden Research Laboratory nearby.\nOlinger\u2019s system has similarities to the underwater kites designed by the Swedish company Minesto, he told Discovery News. However, Minesto plans to tether the kites to the ocean floor while Olinger\u2019s group would attach them to a floating system. Each Minesto\u2019s kite also has a wind turbine attached while Olinger will look at potentially removing the turbine and placing the electrical generator on the floating platform instead.\nSEE ALSO: Submarine Power Plant Generates Under Pressure\n\nFlying kites underwater brought Charlie Brown images to mind, but I\u2019m buoyed by the idea that the tech could be nimble, affordable and scalable without requiring ginormous turbines. Plus the kites could be tethered to floating platforms like the ones already used for oil and gas rigs. Just pull them up if they need checking. Then \u2014 bam! \u2014 they\u2019re back in the sea.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nImage: Flickr, Astacus"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/11/12/underwater-kites/>