Electricity is produced by harvesting energy from flowing water, which
does not harm the environment and which does not consume natural
resources. A paddle wheel is stationarily positioned to penetrate the
surface of a body of water. Preferably, a plurality of paddle wheels are
deployed on a single floating platform to optimize the transfer of the
energy contained in the flow of water passing the floating platform. Each
paddle wheel is geared to rapidly rotate a generator axle of an
electricity generator of the type conventionally deployed for wind
turbines on "wind farms". Preferably, each paddle wheel powers a
plurality of electricity generators. Structure is provided to compensate
for variations in flow rates in the body of water to intensify a flow of
the water and to vary a depth of penetration of the paddle wheel into the
water.