M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust Awards Grant to Ӱpro Center for Energy and Power to Support Hydrokinetic Research
The M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust Engineering Research Program has awarded a grant
to the Ӱpro Center for Energy and Power’s Ӱpro Hydrokinetic Energy Research Center
(AHERC). The award facilitates hydrokinetic research through the purchase of a research
vessel, field instruments, and specialized equipment to determine the interactions
between hydrokinetic power generating devices (HKD), and river and tidal environments,
including fish stocks.
Ӱpro’s expansive coastline and extensive river systems make the potential for hydrokinetic
energy very exciting for many of Ӱpro’s rural communities because HKDs generate
electricity directly from the currents of rivers and tides. AHERC currently has several
ongoing research projects at locations including Yakutat and Nenana. The new equipment
will enhance AHERC’s current research capabilities for assessing the feasibility
of hydrokinetic power generating devices for Ӱpro’s many river and coastal communities.
“UAF is taking a leading role in conducting the research needed to understand how
HKDs are affected by currents, turbulence, debris, and sediment as well as turbine
effects on fish, erosion, and river and tidal currents and waves (for wave HKD devices),”
reported AHERC Associate Director, Jeremy Kasper.
Photo Caption: AHERC Team launches the in-river debris diversion device on the Tanana
River.
Photo courtesy of Todd Paris/UAF.