The snakes would be placed in water between 120 and 300 feet deep, and would be submerged under the surface.

Meet the underwater Anaconda snake that could solve our energy problems

But far from being a deadly predator, the 600ft-long rubber sea snake could one day be the answer to the country's energy crisis.

The device - named the Anaconda after the large snake that lives in water - is a wave power generator, which converts the rise and fall of the oceans into cheap, green electricity.

Professors Francis Farley and Rod Rainey, the snake's inventors, predict that, if tests continue to be successful, the first 'Anaconda farms' could be built within five years.

The device, which is 20ft wide, is made up of a long rubber tube, closed at both ends and filled with water.

Designed to be anchored with one end facing the oncoming waves, it should be used in water between 120ft and 300ft deep, typically about one or two miles from shore.

Because it is made of rubber - meaning it is lighter than other wave generators and does not need complicated hydraulic ramps, hinges and articulated joints - it is cheaper to build and needs less maintenance.

Tests using small-scale models of the device at Southampton University suggest each Anaconda could provide one megawatts - enough to provide energy for a few hundred homes.

Project director Tom Roach said the best sites for the farms would be off the west coast of Scotland and Ireland, or the South-West of England.

'It works best where you have these large sea swells generated over long distances,' he added. 'They would have little environmental impact because they're designed to float below the surface.'

Professor John Chaplin, who is leading the research, said: The Anaconda could make a valuable contribution to environmental protection by encouraging the use of wave power.

A computer-generated image shows a 'snake farm', each Anaconda providing 'green' energy
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You know that is a great idea and all but do they really have to look like a penis.

There are a lot of wonderful inventions out there to produce electricity but it NEVER SEEMS TO MATERIALIZE. What is the sense if nothing gets done. Lots of people talk but really no action. Just do the thing and we will have less worries. Wouldn't you think so?????

hmm.Well no mean to be rude,but what type of inconceivable thought is that.Reason for there shape is to have less drag in the currents so to have a good efficiency in harnessing the waves.

Or what type design would you prefer?.

The problem with all these New Ideas is while they work in a lab, them don't work in the Real World. This snake for example. In a tank on land it works well. But in the ocean Sea life will attach its self to the tube to take advantage of food passing by. After a while the tube becomes inflexible and heavy, will sink to the bottom, and become junk.

Then the scientists who are "Book Smart , But Life Dumb" will say, " Oh, Ya , Right." And try again.

If it can be done, then why not do it? I always ask. For example: windmills, they create much power and they can be placed in many places and hardly disrupt nature. Same goes for solar energy. There are also windmill type things which are placed in rivers facing upriver to harness the power of the river, kind of like the sea snake or the windmill. I once saw this tv show on one of the Discovery networks where scientists in London were testing triangular platforms that a car could run over and with every car, the platform thing would move a turbine a little bit to generate electicity. I'm no engineer so I don't know the details but many of these things could help diminish the energy crisis and global warming.

Excellent point!

The other point is the key words "one day". Not today. Not tomorrow. Not a year from Tuesday.

All these great ideas will take decades to work out. While I agree you gotta start some time, there are zillions of great ideas that "one day" will benefit us but they aren't reported as news of something that will be ready soon.

Hardly disrupt nature?

Have you ever really seen one of these commercial windmills? They are HUGE. The blades alone are at least 100 feet long! I was in Atlantic City for a 4-day weekend recently. There is an island there with five of these windmills on it. Each is 380 feet tall. Talk about an eye soar! And BTW, for 2 out of the 4 days there wasn't enough wind to make them turn.

ps- I'd love to put up a windmill for power. But the zoning rules in my town forbid it. Think globally? Try thinking locally!

pps- Go ask PETA how many birds are killed by windmills every year.

No birds get killed by windmills. Birds arent stupid they see them when they fly and avoid them.

Read this:

http://birds.suite101.com/article.cfm/birds_and_windmills

Sounds good to me.
If we were to stop the freakin war in Iraq for 1 day, we'd be able to use the saved 200 million $$ to put these in many costal areas....
Ah well, that's the way it works... Infinite war budget, no energy budget.

To be honest with you, the war in Iraq is more important to the idea of the sea snake, or any other green tech right now that actually devoting the money to it now. I will only speak from experience, since i am currently serving in Iraq. Im not trying to spark a political argument, but i do want to make a point. Im all about new tech and green energy, but to get there we must first get rid of our current problems. Im all about getting this war over with. With that comes ending the war in Iraq the right way, which is sticking with it till its done, regardless if we were right or wrong in the first place. It is honestly getting better. If we can take care of our foreign policy and security issues first, we can have a safer world in which we can dedicate the time and money back into programs that need our attention. Programs like NASA, or for example maybe such things as this sea snake, should it actually work. Just my two cents on the issue. Anyone disagree? Always open for discussion!

110% agreed!

Sea snake energy and wind power won't mean a darn if an American city is glowing from a nuclear blast or millions of Americans are keeling-over from a virus.

Problem is this... the technology for better source of power & fuel is there. However, I don't think our government is about to give up its monopolies. What I mean is, all of these oil & petro or gasoline companies would fold under. People would be out of jobs and these major stock market companies would crash causing a lot of chaos. The government has so much invested in these companies. I think that's why they don't want to convert yet.

There's no reason to think they would get covered in sea life and become junk - that's what maintenance is for.

I'd hate to be the diver that unknowingly happens upon a farm of these 20' x 600' monsters - probably scare the **** out of him.

LOL

Yeah, would it be put on a new dirty jobs episode?

I read you posted link on Windmills verses birds Masterpo. But the article it's self says the New, larger unites are not a danger at all. Same with PETAs news of windmills killing Bats. It's bad science used to make a political statement. Like the Methane produces by cows Farts. One, its the wrong end. Because of the cows four chamber stomach most of the methane is belched out it mouth. And in Nature the Worst Methane producers are Termites. I could go on , but its not what the thread is about.