InfraTidal_Environment

Environmental Enrichment Early environmental investigations have found that installing Open-Flow (no dams) tidal energy systems can have a positive outcome for marine habitat. Fast currents remove the fine silt that allows marine vegetation to establish, resulting in baren course gravel and/or bare rock on the seabed. Marine Biologist classify such areas as areas of ‘Tidal Induced Desertification’. By slowing fast currents, fine silt accumulates, seagrass & seaweed grow and marine life returns.

Environment Beneficial to marine life

Reducing Storm Damage and Renewable Energy for Climate Change Adaptation Climate change is increasing the frequency of severe storms and storm damage to coastlines and coastal infrastructure. Jetties and breakwaters containing tidal renewable energy systems diminish wave and current induced storm damage. InfraTidal is supporting research efforts to use tidal currents to pump cooler subsurface seawater over coral reefs in danger of heat stress induced coral bleaching.

Safe for Fish Tagged fish investigations by Normandeau Associates in the USA and in-stream camera studies by the Canadian National Research Council have shown that fish are unharmed by Wing Rotors. Wing Rotors consist of a number of hydrofoil ‘wings’ that turn much slower than conventional axial-flow turbines (just 5% of RPM) and fish can swin through them like we walk through rotating doors.

Artificial Reef The support structure of InfraTidal’s tidal flow renewable energy systems is an open structure which will become an artificial reef and covered with marine life such as soft and hard corals, mussels, seaweed and sea grass. The structure then becomes populated by fish and other mobile marine life. The structure provides current ‘shadows’ and shelter where they can hide from the larger predaory fish that will also be attracted to the artificial reef.