Harry McNeal, a TriFrame, and More

Tony Acabono wrote me that he was confused, although maybe he was not.

As this approached and passed by, I was briefly confounded.

The shape reminded me immediately of a tidal power installation in the East River, which I’d written about here 12 years ago.

The three nodes of the structure on the barge are marked A, B, and  . . . as you see . . . C.

I got out ahead of it.  The main tug here is Harry McNeal, and alongside is Miss Julia.  I’m not sure who owns Miss Julia.

A tidal strait, which the East River technically is, with tides in first one and then another direction, will spin these turbines and generate electricity.  Winds may be variable and intermittent, but the tides never cease.

Verdant Power is the clue will get you much more info.  

The three turbines/blades are fitted into a triangular structure, a TriFrame.  It will be submerged in the East River as part of RITE, Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project, as yet a pre-commercial operation.  Materials and design are being tested.

And finally, from the Tideland Institute, Julia, Harry, and the turbines eastbound, like some low-flying albino birds,  in the Buttermilk.

  Read gCaptain’s take here.

And how would you imagine the Tri-Frame got lowered to the bottom? 

Columbia specializes in lowering and raising.

This post reminds me of Whatzit 36 . . . from three and a half years ago.

Thanks to Tony, Tideland, and AC.  Photos not credited to others by WVD, who’s repeatedly astonished by the sixth boro surprises and complexity.