THE KYMOGEN WAVE ENERGY GENERATOR

Mechanical Engineer David Hartmann and Craftsman Jason Ballash have designed a new wave power technology called the KymoGen, which has the potential to produce clean, low-cost energy using the constant power of waves. Key to the design is its simplicity. A portable 8’x8′ platform is tethered to a mooring on the sea floor. Inside the floating platform, the tether is connected to a drive system which spins a flywheel as the waves rise and fall, providing constant power between waves. The generated electricity can then either be stored, or connected directly to existing power grids.

Weighing in at an estimated 800 lbs, the KymoGen can output 2 hp in as little as 12 inch waves and 8hp in 4 foot waves. Larger KymoGens could generate substantially more in rougher waters. The estimated average output per day is 25 to 100 kilowatt hours. It will be constructed of high strength Marine Composites, and the platform can accommodate wind or solar technologies to increase the energy output.

The name KymoGen comes from the word Generator combined with Kymopoleia “the wave walker” the greek goddess of waves. A Kickstarter campaign will be launched in March 2015 (see video below). Plans are to have the first units produced in May 2015, with large scale manufacturing by September 2015. We’ll be sure to post updates as the project gets underway. In the meantime you can find more info and contact information at KymoGen.com

Estimated production timeline:

Watch the video:

UPDATE: The Kickstarter Campaign has now been launched.

We think this looks very promising. What do you think? Leave your comments below…

• Chris Landry
  If I invest or “pledge”, what will be the return on my money? Giving money to a business without getting some back would be insane.
  • AENews
    They haven’t started the kickstarter campaign yet, but when they do your investment returns should be listed in the right hand column. I will update this article as soon as that is set up!
  • Kymo Gen
    The kickstarter project is to build the prototype, and to prove the concept to the world. While we will offer tokens of appreciation for supporters, that will not be the sole reason for their support. The supporters will be the true driving force behind this project. These are the people who will make the project succeed. Our supporters will be the people who understand that green energy is our future.
• c.w.braun
  Hallo David and Jason very interesting. I am a building engineer interested in alternative energy and ad present developed totally self energy supporting homes on the island Curacao surrounded by sea. I could get a beach location to develop your system. When reflecting about your system there are some questions for me about the work ability of the design above. If you are interested to get in contact with me feel free to send a mail to cw.braun@abc-projects.com. For more info http://www.abc-home-energy.com
• John
  This is an interesting piece on hydro-energy, working in the UK energy sector I am constantly looking into new measures to keep up to date with up coming research. However when I reached the stage outlining the production time line right at the end ‘Kymogen is adopted globally, Changing the world’ is a bit of a wild assumption to make from the outset an put me off the idea right there and then.
  • Kymo Gen
    John,
    Thank you for the feedback. When we compete the prototype, and start production of these units, we will have advanced the world further in clean energy. Any progress made in this field, no matter how small, changes the world.There are many people working to create wave energy. All of these efforts work towards the same goal. The response so far to this project have been amazing.
• Matt Congedi
  I am a Mechanical Engineering Student studying in Adelaide, South Australia and have found your research very interesting. I am currently writing a paper on the Sustainability of Adelaide, the best of these papers will be submitted to local council and believe your ideas and research could hold the key to this sustainable energy model. I Would love to know more about how such a technology would be linked to a power grid and what infrastructure would be required to do so!
• Pedro Elescamoso
  we need a like buttom

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THE HYDROBEE: USB POWER FROM NATURE

We just received an email from a company called Hydrobee, asking us to vote for them as Autodesk’s inventor of the Year. Having never heard of this we checked it out… what a neat invention! This soda-can sized device generates electricity for USB devices when you’re off the grid. It can generate power using flowing water, a hand crank, small wind turbine, solar power, pedal power, kinetic energy and more.

The hydrobee doesn’t directly charge devices, instead it charges six internal AA batteries which can then be used to charge your devices. Genius. Hopefully this company gets the funding they need to start producing soon, as this could be very helpful to people in remote and impoverished areas. They’ve definitely got our vote!

Watch the video:

Photos:

What do you think of this invention?

• James Van Damme
  Electricity and water is always a bad combination. If you’re at home, better to plug into the grid, not your water faucet.
  • Val G
    Uh, no. Electricity and water is usually only a bad combination when badly designed products or idiots are involved.
• Cletus E Okeke
  Good day sir

  How are you today, I am Mr Cletus Okeke, I have been dreaming to meet someone like you who delight on inventing something new, therefore, I just want to inform you that I am from a country with 350million population, and we have a biggest challenges of electricity power, our country has no permanent electricity as a result of that all the citizen of the country started using alternative mean of getting power, such as generator, sola energy,

  for that reason I started researching any other means of getting power or any technology can supply power more than sola or generator, remember generator consume petrol or diesel because of that people of my country find it very difficult to manage it,

  however, I will be happy to inquire from you if there is any technology or machine you can discover for me that will give energy to people of my country, I prefer a private energy supply to family, I mean the one someone can walk into the market to buy and use in his or her home,

  please get back to me very urgent
  Cletus
  +2347038504644

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FLOATING SOLAR PANELS: A VIABLE SOLUTION?

Since 2011, French Company Ciel & Terre has been developing large-scale floating solar solutions. Their innovative Hydrelio Floating PV system allows standard PV panels to be installed on large bodies of water such as: drinking water reservoirs, quarry lakes, irrigation canals, remediation and tailing ponds, and hydro electric dam reservoirs. This simple and affordable alternative to ground-mounted systems is particularly suitable for water-intensive industries who cannot afford to waste either land or water.

How it works:

The main float is constructed of high-density thermoplastic (HDPE) and is set at a 12 degree angle to support a standard 60 Cell PV solar module. A secondary non-slip HDPE float is then used to link the main floats together and provide a platform for maintenance and added buoyancy as illustrated below.

According to Ciel & Terre, the system is easy to install and dismantle, can be adapted to any electrical configuration, is scalable from low to high power generation, and requires no tools or heavy equipment. It is also eco-friendly, fully recyclable, has low environmental impact and is cost effective. To date the system has been installed in the UK, and a Japanese system will be installed by March 2016.

Watch the video:

What do you think? Is this a viable solution? Leave your comments below…

• exdent11
  It would seem to be a good solution for reducing evaporation and without using valuable land.
  • Jimmy Hoffa
    i think the bucky balls are much cheaper for reducing evaporation and existing rooftops already provide all the installation space we could ever need.
• John Atkeison
  reducing evaporation seems to be a terrific idea. I’ll bet that there is a 72-cell version in the works.
• bpnjensen
  Absolutely. Here in Alameda County, California, USA, we have several quarry lakes that have/will become water storage reservoirs; these expanses could not only support solar panels, but could benefit from the cooling effect of the shade (algae inhibition) and the reduction of evaporation in direct sunlight. A big win all the way around.
• Pieter Siegers
  Why use floating panels? They require more maintenance than fixed land or rooftop panels. Doesn’t make much sense to me this idea.
  • Paul Listman
    how much does maintenance cost is the question you are asking. 1 dude doing something twice a year at 12 dollars/quid an hour. Id have my teenager clean those as a chore
  • Rod Walton
    Reducing evaporation can be another benefit. We have so much underutilized land and roof space in this country it is a crime not to make better use of it. It is pretty hard to beat the basic economics of pollutionless free fuel delivered right to the site where it is used or distributed.
    • Brad Wise
      Those panels are going to generate heat. That heat goes into the water. This causes additional evaporation. I don’t think you gain much.
• http://www.awgp.org Brijesh Verma
  Great idea. They are also doing this. http://sunengy.com/ . Very good for our country Bharat.
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexdouglasstock Rex Stock
  What is the cost versus ground mounted systems? I just asked to be contacted and I hope these people follow through. There is a floating system here in the U.S. built by a small company that was bought by SunEdison and I don’t want to deal with SunEdison or any big company that demands they own and operate.
• http://www.roughdesigns.com Russell Higgins AIA
  Very low angle dictated by support system (lowers wind load / uplift?)
  Will low angle increase snow / ice loads over land based installs, covering more of the panel decreasing output of the whole panel, low angle will decrease efficiency in Northern latitudes in and around winter.
  Wouldn’t a higher angle for max overall annual energy production, optimized for latitude, and rotating the system all day for max output (as floating system would require trivial energy to rotate, via motors from shore or lake bottom), provide best ROI.
• Kyle Kipfer
  Everyone should check out Sultana Solar as they are a startup in California breaking into the floating solar panel business.
• mdhome
  A most excellent idea!
• Maya
  How will this affect the ecosystems below?
• Murali B V
  Sir, can you give me the details of the company, please?
• Ernesto C Del Castillo
  How much per Watt? I’d like to showcase this Hydrelio Floating PV Farm in the Philippines – asap. Pls advise.
• http://ricardoteamor.pen.io Ricardo Teamor
  Wouldn’t that lead to water pollution, atmospheic pollution etc to some extent? Afterall there will be reactions with water. Also I think maintainence costs will be high compared to roof tops etc.

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