Im not sure how many of you know the geography of New Zealand but basically its 2 islands, in between them is the Cook Strait. In the news recently some guy had an idea to put mini fans underneath the Cook Strait, it would generate enough energy to power our capital city (Wellington)
(The amount of water that is pushed between the Cook Strait is huge)

I think this is a good way to generate electrity, your not damming anything - ruining its look, you could put them undernearth powerful rivers and people wouldnt notice.

Your opinions on this?

They could probably do with some more environmentally friendly (assuming this option is such) ways of producing electricity. Even more pressing though is I think an alternate fuel source. BP connect has Amoco Ultimate that's better for emissions but with the fuel prices rising hopefully there's more incentive for companies to find an environmentally friendly fuel source that doesn't involve oil. The oil companies are eating us alive and acting like monopolies with their price fixing and because it's such a necessary commodity there's not much we can do about it until we find an alternative fuel source.

How can it be more enviromentally friendly than this, Joshua? It doesn't change any water movement or require major landscaping changes. It's electricity directly from nature without any harmful output. What more can there be to make it better?

Hydroelectric power is very clean insofar as pollution, but perhaps the miniature fans may cause damage to other creatures dwelling in the Cook Straight. That's the only detrimental ecological facet I can see to the fans. Not knowing how Wellington is powered currently, though, the fans may be a better alternative to whatever means of power there is; it's a matter of the lesser in two evils where environmentally safe electrical production is concerned.

There is also the economical costs to consider. The fans and maintainence thereto may be costly, and therefore any plans for the new electical system may be timidly approached by those who make decisions about such things. If more funds are required, they'll come from the taxpayers. You're the taxpayer, and it's your own money, so I really have no say in what you do with it.

Frankly, I have no real arguments to the fans. They sounds like an excellent idea, especially when juxtaposed with fossil fuels.

Most of New Zealands is power by energy generated by burning oil, fuel etc. I think 8% of it is hydro power (from dams in the South Island mainly) and some of it is wind generated. You might think 8% wow thats alot but remember New Zealand only has around 4million people so its not actually that much.

The fan like objects under the Cook Strait wouldnt interfer with wildlife that much. Not very many fish etc live in the Cook Strait and those that do get bashed about alot by the wild weather than goes on in between there. I guess the government would put protective cages around them if they decide to use it, to stop the fish swimming into them etc.

Well, they would be turbines, not fans, so they would be turned by the current. This means that anything going with the current would go right through and not be sliced to bits.

And as for the price, it may cost a pretty penny at first, but it would have long-lasting benefits that would manifest over time.