"Gili Trawangan, a small island in Indonesia uses biorocks from metal sculptures of rebar and wire mesh, in shapes of “giant steel manta rays, pyramids, planes, dolphins, whale sharks, lizards and turtles.”
Weak electric current runs through the metal scultures to draw out ions dissolved in the water (Calcium and magnesium) to form a hard coating around the metal.
- (Credit: Gili Eco Trust)
"The electrified biorocks essentially speed up the process of building reefs, which are naturally made of calcium carbonate. Divers also transplant injured coral to these structures, coaxing them back to health. As a coral reefs grow out of the metal, they become habitats for fish and small crustaceans."
- (Credit: Gili Eco Trust)
"With the technology working on waters near shore, the Gili Eco Trust is now looking to expand electric biorocks into the open ocean. The hang up? A power source for the electricity." - http://gizmodo.com/saving-coral-reefs-with-electrified-rocks-1706063803
Their solution?
Tidal energy.
"Now they’re looking to harness the energy of the marine currents. “The marine turbine acts like a wind turbine but underwater,” says Robbe. Operating in a cylinder, there are three blades that spin with the current with a generator on the top. As the biorock doesn’t need a constant energy supply, the tidal waves would provide enough power.The team has been trying to fund the project for the last four years. Not only is the technology very expensive, but importing it attracts huge taxes. As a result, they’re now trying to produce it locally. Their first prototype wasn’t quite right – the fan rotated too slowly – but they’re working with engineers on a new one. If it’s successful, Robbe imagines wind-turbine-powered biorocks could be replicated around the world. What’s more, she hopes the project could serve to show Indonesia that they could use tidal energy, rather than oil, to produce the country’s electricity."- http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150506-why-we-should-electrify-the-ocean
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