NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- New York is the site of an experiment using turbines placed in the East River to tap tidal surges to generate electricity, officials say.
The East River project, which involves a turbine with 16-foot rotors is the only such effort in the United States and one of only a few worldwide, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
"This is just the beginning of a project, but the project itself is emblematic of a whole new industry," said Trey Taylor, president of Verdant Power.
The company says it hopes to expand the pilot project to commercial use, with 300 turbines in the East River that could power up to 10,000 homes in the city.
Officials say the city needs new ways to generate electricity because existing transmission lines are inadequate and the city's needs are growing, said James Gallagher, an energy expert at the city's Economic Development Corp.
"We need generation within the city, and anything we can add in terms of clean, efficient, new generation, has a value to it," he said.
