NEW YORK, NY November 13, 2006 —If you see a barge floating near Roosevelt Island this month, you might be seeing the future of renewable energy. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

Workers are installing two underwater turbines in the East River near Roosevelt Island to generate electricity. Peter Smith, President of the New York State Energy, Research, and Development Authority says they're like underwater windmills, 16 feet in diameter.

SMITH: So as the tide goes and in and out they use the kinetic energy to turn the turbine to generate electricity.

The turbines were built by a company called Verdant. When the first phase gets going by mid December, they'll generate power for a supermarket on Roosevelt Island. The state is hoping to eventually build the equivalent of a small power plant in the East River, and another one by Long Island.

The government is watching for any effect on fish. Underwater turbines have never been used before to deliver power to customers. The Natural Resources Defense Council says New York is at the leading edge of renewable ocean energy research.