SRI International testing an underwater kite system that could bring power to remote areas of Alaska without diesel

SRI International, a California-based research institute, received a $4.2 million Department of Energy grant to develop the Manta, an underwater kite system that generates electricity from ocean tides and river currents. The device, developed with UC Berkeley, has been tested in San Francisco and is being evaluated for deployment in remote Alaskan communities to reduce dependence on diesel generators. Researchers aim to commercialize the technology, which uses a lightweight foam structure safer for wildlife than traditional anchored turbines, with upcoming tests planned in Alaska's Metlakatla Indian Community.