Fifty Countries around the world look with interest at an Italian patented Technology for production of electric energy from a natural element, never exploited before, and yet symbol itself of “Force of Nature”: marine currents.
This occourss in an outstanding context like United Nations where is in progress the Summit on Sustainable Development.
The Italian technology consists of a Turbine, vertical axis, named KOBOLD (in the Germanic mythology Kobold is an elf) “created”, some years ago, by the Neapolitan ship owner Elio Matacena, observing the action of the jet engine’s ferries of his Company, cruising in the Messina Strait, particularly rich of marine currents.
The light bulb turned on in his mind and Elio Matacena, new Archimedes, chairman of a Company which almost by destiny is named “Archimedes Bridge”, presupposed that the same actions could be reproduced, with the necessary arrangements, to transform kinetic energy of the currents in electricity. From four years in the Messina Strait, 150 meters from the coast in front of Ganzirri, the view is enriched by a particular yellow platform, on which waving flags of many Countries together with that of the UN: in the sea beneath works the prototype of Kobold Turbine, able to develop 40 kw, as much as it is necessary to enlight 13 flats. Since 27 of March the Turbine has been connected at the electric net of ENEL – Italian utility that provides electricity the town of Messina -.
The international story of this project is indeed very interesting: with the support of the Directorate General of Development Cooperation of the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Kobold met the UN, namely UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organization – that valued the “Ponte di Archimede” Turbine as the most efficient so far created for the exploitation of this particular energetic source, clean and renewable, and has “adopted” it for its promotion in Developing Countries where the Agency works.
In this way start the acknowledgement of the Kobold Turbine, as promising energetic source for some specific situations, such as Islands which cannot benefit from connection by the electric grid and base their electric supply on expensive and polluting generator or, even, on archaic oil lamps or candles.
The first answers have come from three important Asian Countries: People’s Republic of China, Philippines and Indonesia. In this Indian Ocean Republic will be established, with the auspices of UNIDO, a joint venture between “Ponte di Archimede Co.” and Walinusa Energi Co., Indonesian Society specialized in renewable energy applications.
By this “marriage” will spring the proto… prototype of Turbine in Asia, aimed at supplying the grid of Selayar, a not secondary Island of the Archipelagos of Indonesia, with a population of 700 thousand inhabitants of whom, so far only 25% can benefit of energy coming from an electric generating station alimented by fossil fuels.
This experience, which will lead, in one year, to the installation of the first Asian Kobold Turbine, will be an important “ice pick” for its diffusion in all the Countries that have Islands in their territories, today taking part to the works of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, during which there has been the presentation of UNIDO’s Project.
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