According to the New York Daily News, New York's East River will become the test site for a "revolutionary method of generating electricity with underwater turbines." The project is the brainchild of Virginia-based Verdant Power, which claims that the new hydroelectric system will be the first of its kind in the world. It certainly sounds interesting: "Verdant's plan calls for six submerged windmill-like turbines - each with three 8-foot-long blades - to be installed just north of the Queensborough Bridge. They'll supply juice to a Roosevelt Island supermarket and parking lot." If the 18-month tryout proves successful, one hopes that the project will be expanded on a greater scale.

A big hat tip to the scientists at NYU, who first designed the windmill-like turbines. Now let's just hope that the project makes it over the final regulatory hurdle - approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.