潮流発電（Tidal power generation）

関門海峡の潮流を発電に利用しようと、北九州市や九州工業大（戸畑区）などは１７日、潮流発電の実験機を門司区大里元町沖の海底に設置した。半年から１年かけ、発電効率や、貝などの付着物や波による影響などのデータを収集し、実用化の可能性を探る。
　潮の流れによって発電機を動かす仕組み。最大で毎秒４・８メートルという関門海峡の潮流の速さに着目し、市などが昨年度から、潮流の把握や実験場所の選定などの基礎調査を進めていた。
　実験機は、コンクリート製の台座を含め、高さ６・７メートル、重さは２３・７トン。２本の軸にそれぞれ、どの向きの潮流でも回転する水車が取り付けられており、軸の回転を発電機に伝える。設置場所は岸壁から約３０メートル沖で、満潮時の水深は３・６メートル。最大１・３メートルの潮流があり、計算上では、一般家庭が使う電気の約半分を生み出せるという。
　市や大学関係者らが見守る中、実験機はクレーン付きの台船で沖に運ばれ、約２時間かけて海底に下ろされた。２６日から稼働させる予定で、研究を統括する市環境未来都市推進室の香具次長は「東日本大震災で、再生可能エネルギーへの関心が高まっている。地域特有の財産を生かせるよう、研究を進めていきたい」と話していた。実用化に向けて弾みのつく検証結果が出てくることを期待したいですね。

When trying to use to generate electricity Kanmon trends, such as (Tobata-ku) is 17, was placed on the seabed off the coast of the experimental aircraft Moji Motomachi Osato district of Kitakyushu and tidal power generation Kyushukogyodai. Over 1 year from six months to collect and power generation efficiency, and wave data, such as the impact of deposits, such as shellfish, explore the possibility of practical use.

Mechanism to move the generator by the flow of the tide. Focusing on speed of 4.8 meters per second Kanmon tides of up to, and the city from the previous year, had been investigating the basis for selecting a location, such as understanding of trends and experiments.

Experimental aircraft, including the pedestal made ​​of concrete, 6.7 meters high and weighs 23.7 tons. Each water wheel to rotate in the direction of power flow which is attached to the two axes, communicate to the rotation of the shaft generator. Location is about 30 meters offshore from the quay, at high tide water depth of 3.6 meters. There is a maximum tide of 1.3 meters, on the calculation, about half of the electricity that Umidaseru general home use.

In the city and university officials looked on, experimental aircraft are carried in a boat with a crane units, was lowered to the seabed over about 2 hours. To capitalize the property of the region-specific. Scheduled to run from June 26, deputy director Kogu Promotion Office futuristic city environment city to oversee research in earthquake East ", interest in renewable energy is growing, and promoting research was talking about, "I want to go. I want to hope that the verification results arrive impetus toward the practical use comes out.