| abstract |
A subsea energy generation assembly in which a subsea mass, or weight, 108 is raised through the action of a vertical axis wind rotor, or VAWT, 116 working through a gearing system 118 to operate a pulley system 110 with a cable 112; the whole assembly being mounted on a buoy 102 suitable for deployment on a sea, lake or ocean, once raised the mass can be lowered whilst connected to a generator 128 on the buoy in order to generate electrical power. The system may be provided with a clutch that slows the descent of the mass as it approaches the lower extreme of its movement, preferably at a pulley system bottom part 106. The pulley system can comprise multiple parallel cables. The buoy can be stabilised by a sea anchor 124 attached via a tether 126. A subsea power cable 122 transmits the generated power to a substation. Preferably the mass moves across an operating depth of 100-700 m. Also disclosed is use of a sail, such as a high flying kite, to raise the subsea mass which preferably weighs from a few to several hundred kilograms. |