A new tidal turbine has been installed in the East River of New York City which is the third attempt at tapping the strong tides that flow though it.

This is the first turbine of a proposed 300 which the city hopes to install in the waterway. Unlike the typical river which flows in a constant direction, the East River is a tidal straight with strong, fluctuating currents which allow for more efficient power generation. Once in place, the system could provide electricity to 10,000 households.

Tidal TurbineVerdant Power is the company behind the project which is known as the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project (RITE) and the installation of the latest turbine is part of Phase 2 of a three phase project. The previous two attempts to tap the tides of the East River resulted in the turbines failing with the blades shredded by the power of the waterway. The accompanying photo shows the installation of one of the failed turbines.

The aim of RITE is to generate up to 10MW of electricity using the renewable energy source. Because the East River is actually a tidal waterway, the water flow fluctuates in direction which requires a specialist turbine system. The aluminum turbine that has just been installed is the first of its kind in the United States. The earlier versions of this turbine were made of fiberglass over a steel skeleton.

The city has spent $2 million in the past few years studying the impact the turbines would have on local fish and bird populations, but so far it seems that the animals avoid the blades and escape harm. However, regulations state that the impact on the waterway’s animal life must be monitored continuously.

Verdant Power, a small energy company hired for the job, said that this third version was thoroughly tested before being installed; so far it has worked, and is already powering a nearby supermarket. If the blades continue to hold together, the city should soon give further production and installation a green light.