Breakthrough hydropower technology doesn't require dam or reservoir
CALIFORNIA - California-based research and development company Bourne Energy has developed a novel hydropower technology that does not require a dam or reservoir to produce power.
The RiverStar river power system is a 20-foot long self-contained energy module composed of a stabilizer, energy absorber, energy transmission and mooring system and energy conversion and control system designed to be sited in-river in long arrays. The concept behind the RiverStar is to harvest hydropower along the entire length of a river instead of harnessing energy in one massive site using a dam and reservoir.
The system can be applied to each river's environment, culture and commercial activities as seamlessly and invisibly as possible thus opening up vast untapped amounts of hydropower worldwide. RiverStar does not stop or slow natural processes such as fish migration, sedimentation and biological processes, nor does it  prevent other commercial and/or private river traffic.
Bourne plans to build a series of prototypes leading to full-scale demonstrators to promote its utility scale hydropower power systems worldwide.
Hydropower is currently the world's major renewable energy, producing 24% of global electricity. It is also the least expensive energy, having an average cost of 2-5 cents/kWh. But only 4% of the world's gross hydropower potential has as of yet been developed.
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They arrived earlier this week and are working on removing debris and equipment so when supplies arrive, power can be brought back online.
Fortis Inc., the parent company for Maritime Electric operates a utility in Turks and Caicos.
Kim Griffin, spokesperson for Maritime Electric, said there are over 1000 poles that were brought down by the storm.
"It's really an intense storm recovery," she said. 'Good spirits'
The crew is working with less heavy equipment…