SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submission Preview
River Turbines Turn Austria's Danube from Blue to Green
The Wachau, a picture-postcard river valley in Austria, makes a lot of wine. Soon it could be producing its own electricity too [phys.org], and in a way that will not spoil the stunning views.
"Wind turbines are out of the question and solar panels are strictly regulated," says Andreas Nunzer, mayor of picturesque Spitz on the left bank of the Danube river.
"But we have found a way to contribute to the fight against global warming without harming our quality of life."
It is called river current power.
The idea is to place in the river what looks on the surface like the top of a submarine but is in fact a six-tonne buoy producing enough electricity for 250 people.
New York City has turbines in the East River [energy.gov] (which is technically a tidal inlet, not a river) that produce power, too. After some initial hiccups, it seems to be performing as designed.
