A portable system for converting wind energy into electrical energy is disclosed. The disclosed system may include a frame hosting one or more conversion modules, arranged as desired. A given conversion module may include one or more wind energy conversion devices (WECDs), arranged as desired. The conversion modules may be electrically connected, directly or indirectly, with one or more downstream electrical energy storage elements (e.g., such as a battery or other capacitive element, optionally native to a host platform). In this manner, the disclosed system may be configured for use in storing and/or supplying electric power for downstream consumption by a host platform or otherwise. In a more general sense, the disclosed system may be utilized, for example, for micro-generation of renewable electrical energy from wind.

A method for assembling a wind turbine, including: attaching an elevator carriage (27) to a nacelle (9) to form a carriage-nacelle assembly (27,9); and mounting the carriage-nacelle assembly (27,9) on to a tower (3) as a unit.

A marine plant assembly comprising a floating vessel and a plant operating unit attached to a buoyancy vessel in such a way that the operating unit is at least partially submerged during operation. At least one link element provides a hinged connection between the operating unit and the buoyancy vessel, thereby to allow movement of the operating unit from its submerged operating position to above the water level and adjacent the buoyancy vessel by said link element rotating into a position substantially parallel to the buoyancy vessel.

A rotor assembly comprises a rotor having a plurality of blades and an axis about which the rotor rotates, each blade being spaced from the axis of the rotor such that there is a gap between the axis and an inner edge of each blade through which fluid can flow, and inner and outer edges of each blade lying in and defining a blade plane and each blade being offset from the axis of the rotor such that the axis does not lie in the blade plane; a casing partially surrounding the rotor, the casing having a first opening to permit a fluid flow into or out of the casing in a direction generally perpendicular to the rotor axis; and a second opening at an axial end of the casing to permit a fluid flow into or out of the casing in a direction generally parallel to the rotor axis.

A wind generator for sailboats including a mast (A) provided with crosstrees (C), including: at least one wind generator (1) provided with a distribution of blades (2) arranged to rotate integrally with a shaft (6) of axis (a) in response to receiving a wind flow in an active direction (v) incident to the blades distribution; an electric generator (3) operatively connected to the generator (1) for converting the rotation of the blades (2) into electricity, comprising structure (22, 41) for fixing the generator (1) to a crosstree (C), and with the blades (2) being movable from an open operating position (P1) of maximum incidence of wind flow (F) to a closed non-operating position (P2) of minimum obstruction.

A kite driven watercraft power generating system which includes at least one operative location defined on the watercraft, at least one inoperative location defined on the watercraft, a plurality of kite base stations mounted displaceably about the watercraft and, an orientation subsystem for displacing each of the plurality of kite base stations between the at least one operative, and, the at least one inoperative locations, respectively, wherein each of the plurality of kite base stations is further configured to orientate its respective kite in a wind harvesting and energy generating mode when located in the at least one operative location, and, in a kite retraction mode, when located in the at least one inoperative location.

The present disclosure provides a small, inexpensive, long-lived underwater beacon locator. The beacon locator can illustratively include a housing, a communications link, a processor, a plurality of hydrophones and a motion generator.

The present disclosure provides a method and a device for converting the alternating motion produced by at least one float (202, 222) resting atop surface of a water body into unidirectional motion and converting that motion into usable energy. The method and device may be provided on a structure/vessel (206) or as the interface between the vessel and the water body surface. The vessel incorporating the device as such experiences a reduced effect of vertical perturbations from waves generated on the water body.

A propulsion system for a seagoing vessel includes a rotatable frame and either (a) at least two masts coupled to the frame and each having a sail and a boom, or (b) at least two blades coupled to the frame. The rotatable frame and either the rotatable boom or at least two blades may be locked in position in a locked mode and unlocked and freely rotatable in an unlocked mode. A control system that is in communication in communication with a frame lock and either a boom lock or a blade lock and may be configured to determine when the vertical axis wind turbine should be in either the locked mode or the unlocked mode based on the direction of the wind and a direction that the seagoing vessel is traveling.

An apparatus that floats at the surface of a body of water over which waves pass, causing a nominally vertical axis of the apparatus to tilt away from an axis normal to the resting surface of the body of water. Tilting allows a fluid to flow through a channel that in an un-tilted apparatus would require the gravitational potential energy of the fluid to increase (i.e., to flow uphill), but, because of the tilt allows the fluid to flow through the channel in a downhill direction. Successive wave-driven tilts of the apparatus incrementally raise water to a head from which a portion of its gravitational potential energy can be converted to electrical power by causing the water to return to a lower level by flowing through a water turbine, or through some other apparatus that performs a useful function when supplied with a flow of high-pressure water.