On the surface tidal power sounds like a no-brainer; unlike wind or solar power it is consistent (there’s nothing quite as dependable as the tides) and because the Earth is 70% water, there are potentially endless locations to set up turbines. But it’s not that simple. For a start, wind and solar power have grabbed all the glory, not to mention the funding, so tidal power is under-researched and remains under-estimated. It’s also rather expensive, and because the technology is still evolving (quite rapidly) it doesn’t make sense to spend huge amounts of money on systems that will be outdated as soon as construction is complete. And, because it is under-researched, scientists are unsure of the impact tidal power projects will have on the marine environment.
All these obstacles not withstanding, tidal power is viewed as a viable alternative source of energy and governments, universities and private companies are investing considerable time and money into research, systems development and practical tests.
For instance:
- Rance Tidal Power Station was built in 1966 and is still in operation today. It’s on the estuary of the Rance River in Brittany, France and is operated by Électricité de France. In addition to being the first tidal power station in the world, it is also the largest. Twenty-four turbines generate power using the tidal barrage technique. Power generation peaks at 240 megawatts and it supplies 0.012% of France’s total power needs. Rance Tidal Power Station also serves an important tourism service, as it attracts in the region of 200 000 tourists per year.
- SeaGen is a tidal stream generator located in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland. It’s four times as powerful as any other tidal stream generator and generates 1.2 megawatts per day. It is run by Sea Generation Ltd, which has a five-year operating licence.
- The first tidal energy project on the US west coast is designated for Puget Sound in Washington State. The project is being driven by the University of Washington, which is currently evaluating potential sites and determining methods to measure the project’s environmental impact. The plan is to construct two 30-foot-wide turbines in Admiralty Inlet, which is the main entrance to Puget Sound. The turbines are expected to generate an average of 100 kilowatts of electricity.
- The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada is the site of another tidal power project. This one is called FORCE (Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy) and will use four undersea cables capable of containing 64 power generating devices. Each cable is expected to 16 megawatts of energy. It’s estimated that the Nova Scotia coastline could generate enough energy to rival the fossil fuels coming out of Saudi Arabia.
- Plans for the River Mersey Barrage in Liverpool, UK, are under threat. The UK government has withdrawn support after feasibility studies revealed that it would cost twice as much to build as originally estimated. There are also concerns for marine life. But the company behind the project, Peel Energy, is determined to carry on and has invited the public to review the plans and air their views. The company will promote the Mersey Tidal Power project at 10 venues near the Mersey waterfront to assess public opinion on the location, physical aspects, impacts, benefits and opportunities. If things go as planned, Peel Energy hopes to have the project operational by 2020.
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
