Spiralis Energy, a London-based startup, wants to trial a screw-like tidal power generator and has bid with the States of Alderney in the English Channel to test its setup. The energy generator is made from recycled plastic waste, making it an attractive option among renewable energy sources.
Spiralis calls its tidal energy generator the Axial Skelter, and it consists of a large Archimedes screw that has been used in other power generators before. The team says that it has modified the screw by adding the aerofoils to the design. If case a portion of the screw breaks off during operation, the modular section can be removed and replaced with another 3D-printed modular component, making it easy to repair the generator, even if located in remote locations. Spiralis has reportedly approached the States of Alderney, an Island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the northernmost of the Channel Islands. As per its proposal, the startup will test two Axial Skelters, each about 66 feet long, during the winter months.