NITRATES FROM THE AIR.

Thames Star, Volume LX, Issue 16855, 4 August 1926, Page 4

NITRATES FROM THE AIR.

A very ambitious scheme is in operation at the present time for harnessing power in one of the West Coast sounds in the South Island for the purpose of extracting nitrates from the air. A survey party under the Public Works Department has been busy since the end of last November working out the necessary data for a tunnel which it is proposed to construct in order to connect Lake Manapouri with Deep ‘Cove. It is estimated that the water which will come through this tunnel is capable of producing as much as 25,000 horse-power. In addition to the Manapouri supply there are half a dozen other small sources of water supply near the main power site at

Deep Cove, and it is estimated that from these power may be obtainedl According to Mr J. Orchiston, the organiser of the nitrates scheme for the New Zealand Sounds Hydro-Elec-tric 'Concessions Coy., Niagara is the only other power site in the world where more than 250,000 horse-power has been harnessed at the one spot from the same source. It. was at first expected that the tunnel would require to be 6} miles in length, but a deviation now proved possible will reduce that by about a mile. This means a saving of £200,000. The works at Deep Cove are to be located within a few chains of the wharf on a well-sheltered deep-water harbour. According to Mr Orchiston’s calculations the charges for interest, sinking fund and maintenance per horsepower developed will not much exceed £1 a year as compared with about 18’/6 for the hydro-electric nitrate scheme of Norway. The cost of generating a continuous horsepower from coal in large units under existing conditions in New Zealand would probably exceed £3O per annum and in Great Britain it would be about £ls. If the whole of the power generated at Deep Cove is used for the production of nitrates it is estimated that the gross value of the product will be about £2,500,000 per annum. From a commercial point of view the scheme certainly looks attractive enough.