RI DAILY

Manhattan's little, quieter island and beyond

Stories that matter, from the heart of the East River.

RI DAILY

Manhattan's little, quieter island and beyond

Reporting Roosevelt Island since sunrise.

Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project receives 2021 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Award

“Verdant Power is commercializing tidal energy to realize a blue economy powered by a Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) industry,” said an article on the National Hydropower Association website. The Roosevelt Island Daily News “In 2020, Verdant Power deployed three of...

Roosevelt Island News

“Verdant Power is commercializing tidal energy to realize a blue economy powered by a Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) industry,” said an article on the National Hydropower Association website.

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Verdant prepares placement of new turbines in the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project, October, 2020.

“In 2020, Verdant Power deployed three of its fifth-generation turbines mounted on a single TriFrame™ in New York City’s East River tidal strait. The operational excellence of the RITE Project, as recognized by the OSAW award puts the vision of a commercial MRE industry within reach.”

As we reported in October 2020, “The original set of turbines supplied energy to the old Gristedes, now Foodtown, and to Motorgate. The idea was a trial because nobody knew for sure if the equipment could survive powerful East River tides.”

“This pre-commercial demonstration of the proprietary integrated system is designed to optimize the economics of installation and maintenance over the system’s 20-year life, and to prove performance,” Verdant’s spokesman told us.

Here is what Verdant President John Banigan told us at the time…

The project lasted nine months and delivered a record amount of generated power into the New York City grid.

More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News

You Can’t Be All Three

You Can’t Be All Three

Transit for the city, an attraction for visitors, and a liability on the Island’s books. The tram is already part of the MTA system. The only question is whether RIOC is ready to admit it.

April 9, 2026, during the full board meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, Fay Christian said something that should have landed harder than it did. She wished RIOC were not responsible for the tram. Then she asked what it would look like if it were given to the MTA. That was not a passing comment.

2 COMMENTS

LEAVE A RESPONSE