Apparently, Marine Current Turbines is having quite the time trying to install what would be "the world's largest tidal power project," as the installation that was slated to begin Monday will now be lucky to see completion this year. Dubbed SeaGen, the project will reportedly utilize "twin underwater turbines to generate 1.2-megawatts of electricity off the coast of Northern Ireland," which are said to "look and work very much like wind powered [alternatives]." Notably, the company even mentioned that the devices spin "too slowly to affect marine life," and just in case you're concerned about its future plans, it "intends to eventually build farms of turbines consisting of 10 to 20 pairs each."

[Via TechMeme]

Clogged highways and frustratingly waiting while your gas needle plummets to empty usually doesn't conjure up thoughts of green, but it seems like these very roads could become the source of a lot more energy. Several recent student designs have proposed that major roadways be retrofitted with various forms of wind energy collection devices, ranging from overhead turbines that collect energy from quickly-moving cars below to barrier panels (pictured after the jump) that harness the wind from closely passing vehicles moving in opposite directions. Ideally, the wind energy could then be sent back out to the grid to power nearby communities, light-rail transportation systems, or even intelligent billboards. Of course, most of these ideas are still in the research phase, and even if proven feasible, we can't imagine the up-front costs (or inconveniences of installing these things) to be minor, but we're sure that government subsidies should be able to to lend a helping hand.

Read - Barrier panel prototype, via Inhabitat
Read - Overhead turbine design, via Inhabitat

It's not just the fitness club types in Hong Kong attempting to generate a bit of renewable energy, inventor Lucien Gambarota -- the very man responsible for converting all that cardio into voltage -- is showing off some micro-wind turbines for even more power bill relief. There's currently only a single wind turbine on a small outer island providing energy to Hong Kong, the rest of the city just doesn't get enough wind for traditional turbines to do any good. Not so with Gambarota's new micro-turbines, which can generate electricity with as little as 2 mph of wind, and keep turning at all times from the slightest of breezes. The little windmills are actually gearwheels, mounted in a array. They can be arranged in different shapes and sizes, from two to thousands of square meters. The energy is put into a battery, which then powers appliances in the building. Currently the micro-turbines go for about $25 for a set of 20 gearwheels, but that price should drop considerably once they begin to be mass produced.

[Thanks, nvyseal]