Power source made for the North

WINNING CONCEPT: Michael McNamara's Eco-Auger - a big potential in the Far North.

An American-born inventor believes the Far North is home to a number of locations that would be ideal for his award-winning energy-harnessing device.

Michael McNamara came up with the concept for the Eco-Auger with a partner, Scott Anderson, eight years ago. It is capable of converting the energy in moving water to electricity in a manner that is harmless to the marine environment and its inhabitants, each 4.5-metre unit being capable of generating three kilowatts an hour in three-knots of current, 75kw per day, in both salt and fresh water.

The Eco-Auger was voted the No.1 invention at ConocoPhilips (the renowned alternative energy conference) in Houston, Texas, in 2009, and named Invention of the Year in 2010 by Popular Science Magazine.

It had already been proven in the field after a year of testing in the US, where Mr McNamara worked alongside native American tribes and local government.

A dedicated surfer, who travels regularly from his base in Hawaii to New Zealand to catch the winter swell season in the Far North, the 48-year-old Philadelphian said the Eco-Auger was based on the Archimedes' Screw principle, an age-old system used to transport water. He firmly believed New Zealand was the ideal location to take his design to the next level.

"There's clearly a need for alternative energy to bring power to remote parts of New Zealand, as well as a sustainable and renewable device to combat high electricity costs," he said, adding that he had watched water leaving Waikato dams and despairing at the sight of "all that wasted energy going downstream".

"The chief complaints I've heard from people here are that power costs are through the roof, there's a big resistance to offshore oil exploration, and a desire to have a renewable, sustainable energy source, and the Eco-Auger becomes even more viable in those regards," he said.

A solitary unit could be effective in any given location, but multiple units would obviously generate more energy.

Mr McNamara described the Hokianga Harbour as a potential location, although he appreciated that extensive consultation with local residents, iwi and local governments would be needed.

In the meantime, he was continuing a crusade to promote awareness of the design, which had included initiating talks with Ministry of Energy officials, searching for venture capitalists prepared to invest in further development of the concept, and doing the rounds with "thinking" power companies that would be prepared to invest in clean, sustainable ways of harnessing and storing natural energy.

"I'm not a competitor but a supplement to what (power companies) are already doing," he said.

"Companies right now are looking at renewables to be part of their arsenals for the future."

Mr McNamara can be contacted at ecoauger.media@gmail.com