Patent ID: 8579576

Claim:
A support system for at least one water drivable turbine that when in operation is immersed in a column of flowing water, comprising a deck for supporting said at least one water drivable turbine when immersed, the deck having an inherent buoyancy, the deck being of elongate form having opposite ends attached via struts to anchor points located in adjacent opposite end regions of the deck in a river or sea bed, the struts being of sufficient length to permit the deck to be displaced between a lowered position sufficient to immerse the at least one water drivable turbine and a raised position in which the at least one water drivable turbine is above water level, and at least one support fixed in the river or sea bed at a location spaced from the anchor points at such a distance that, when the deck is displaced to the lowered position, the deck contacts the at least one support.