Assembly for generating electricity

An assembly for generating electricity, the assembly including (a) a chamber having a base, a cylindrical side wall extending from the base, a water inlet in the side wall, and a water outlet in the base, with the side wall having a central axis that extends generally vertically when the assembly is in an upright position, and the side wall having a cylindrical internal surface, and with the inlet being at an angle relative to the cylindrical internal surface of the side wall so that in use water flows into the chamber in a generally horizontal direction when the assembly is in the upright position and flows in a spiral pathway within the chamber around a shaft and downwardly to the outlet, (b) a rotor unit having a rotor mounted to the shaft, the rotor being located in and rotatable in the chamber in response to water flow along the spiral pathway through the chamber, with the rotor including a plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from the shaft towards the side wall, with the vanes being curved vanes that sweep rearwardly from an inner edge that is connected to the shaft and an outer edge, with the inlet and the vanes being positioned relative to each other so that in use at least a part of water flowing into the chamber from the inlet flows directly towards the vanes, (c) an electrical generator or more than one electrical generator coupled to the rotor unit for generating electricity in response to rotation of the rotor, and (d) a support structure including a framework that includes a plurality of support members in the form of legs that, in use of the assembly, extend downwardly from the base and support and locate the chamber, the rotor unit, and the electrical generator or more than one electrical generator of the assembly in or beside a body of water as a free-standing unit, wherein the (i) angle of the inlet, (ii) the dimensions of the inlet, the outlet and the chamber, (iii) the position of the inlet and the position of the outlet, and (iv) the position of the inlet and the position of the vanes relative to each other are configured to promote the formation of a vortex within the chamber when in use and there is a flow of water through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the assembly is configured to be transported as a unit from a manufacturing site to an end-use location, and wherein the assembly is configured to be, in use, positioned in the body of water or beside the body of water as a free-standing unit.