Farther, deeper, faster

Farther, deeper, faster

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Farther, deeper, faster

“This is one of the planet’s largest engineering projects and has a price tag to match”

CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES

The seas around the UK will soon play host to a daring engineering adventure. The aim? To shift much of the nation’s electricity production offshore and cut carbon emissions in the process. At the Oceanology International 2010 conference in London earlier this month, New Scientist brought together a panel of experts to discuss the challenges to be met for this grand project to succeed. Justin Mullins explores their views and reports on other work highlighted at the meeting

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SPECIAL OCEANOLOGY

54 | NewScientist | 27 March 2010

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Wall of water

180m

“A self-deploying turbine could attach to the seabed with anchors that work like suction cups”

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PETER MACDIARMID/GETTY IMAGES

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“Cornwall is to get Wave Hub, a plug-and-play socket on the sea floor for trying out new ideas”

SEAGEN

SeaGen’s turbines (left) can be lifted out of the water for maintenance

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