News Release:   

October 1, 2015

GWFT Go With the Flow Technologies, the newest Tidal Current Energy Company, has recently gained membership in Marine Renewables Canada. GWFT has set its sights high in its quest to commercialize this innovative totally green technology, and has conducted its first ocean ready test of the Tidal Current Surface Crawler (TCSC) on September 22, 2015.

Our initial test was to determine (1) its’ seaworthiness and (2) the minimum speed required, with power takeoff engaged, to begin energy capture.

1. The prototype floated exactly as predicted and performed beyond our expectations.
2. The opening test result of 3km/hour (0.833m/sec) is extremely encouraging and enlightening. Not only is this speed low enough to consider application in an ocean stream such as the Gulf Stream, but the tests have revealed that with minor tweaking we can reduce this start-up speed further to about 0.4m/sec (1.44km/hour).

This micro prototype has an active ocean interface footprint of just 8 feet by 4 feet with a submerged interactive depth of 0.8feet. To view an animation, go to www.sifet.ca

The inherent K.E. of the interfaced water stream at 3km/hour is a paltry 0.26kW, while at 3.048m/sec (10’/sec, or 10.97km/hour) the inherent K.E. is 3.51kW. We expect to capture a net 40% of the difference of these energies, giving us 1.3kW.

For a next generation prototype, already on the drawing board, a design 20’ (6.1m) long with a 10’ (3.05m) interface width and 3.28’ (1m) interface depth,  and with a 10’ (3.05m) /sec flow, the net yield expected is 35.6kW.

With the power output increasing as the square of the velocity, grid connected capability is assured.

Application of this technology can be on all three of Canada’s oceans and innumerable rivers and streams. Patents pending are in Canada, US, and GB, with the technology licensed to GWFT.

GWFT Go With the Flow Technologies Inc
– in Synergy with Nature –

E-mail: joesieber@sifet.ca
Web: www.sifet.ca