--- title: "Japan Tested a Giant Turbine That Generates Electricity Using Deep Ocean Currents" description: "A heavy machinery maker in Japan called IHI Corp has successfully tested a prototype of a massive turbine that can generate electricity from ocean currents." date: "2022-06-03" modified: "2022-06-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/giant-turbine-generates-electricity-deep-ocean-currents" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "Japan" - "ocean" - "the digest" - "tidal power" --- # Japan Tested a Giant Turbine That Generates Electricity Using Deep Ocean Currents ![A heavy machinery maker in Japan called IHI Corp has successfully tested a prototype of a massive turbine that can generate electricity from ocean currents.]() *\Image: IHI Corp\* ## Deep Ocean In the wake of the devastating nuclear meltdown at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, officials have been hunting for new sources of green energy — and they're leaving no stone unturned. A heavy machinery maker in Japan called IHI Corp has successfully tested a prototype of a massive, airplane-sized turbine that can generate electricity from powerful deep sea ocean currents, [*Bloomberg* reports](), laying the groundwork for a promising new source of renewable energy that doesn't rely on sunny days or strong winds. ## Heavy Metal The company's latest prototype is called Kairyu and weighs in at 330 tons. Two counter-rotating turbine fans are connected by a massive fuselage, which allows the entire apparatus to float while anchored anchored to the sea floor, hovering between 100 and 160 feet below the surface. There, it pulls energy from one of the world's strongest ocean currents, off the eastern coast of Japan, using it to spin its mighty turbines. During demonstrations earlier this year, the company was able to generate around 100 kilowatts of stable power. During future tests, IHI Corp is hoping to generate two megawatts, with the hopes of kicking off commercial operations in the 2030s, *Bloomberg* reports. ## Earth, Wind, Fire Japan is also exploring other ways to generate energy from the sea, including tidal power and ocean thermal energy conversion, the latter of which generates electricity by exploiting the temperature differential between cold and warm ocean water. Engineers now have the challenge of scaling the operation to a point where it makes economical sense, which is not an easy feat. "The biggest issue for ocean current turbines is whether they could produce a device that would generate power economically out of currents that are not particularly strong," Angus McCrone, marine energy analyst, told *Bloomberg*. **READ MORE:** [Giant Deep Ocean Turbine Trial Offers Hope of Endless Green Power]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on renewables:** *[Scientists Propose Turning Skyscrapers Into Massive Gravity Batteries]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()