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What does the future hold for tidal power?
One of man’s oldest generators
By Nishana Shukoor
As we scrape out the dwindling fossil fuel reserves, leaving the planet scarred with the enormous carbon footprints, alternative energy sources continue to await the realisation of their full potential. Even though the solar and wind energy sectors have witnessed a considerable growth spurt in recent years, tidal energy has been among the last to hop on to green energy bandwagon that holds any promise as a viable alternative energy resource.
This is despite the fact that tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy used by man and also one of the most reliable and dependant renewable energy resources.
Tidal energy is non-polluting and, unlike sunshine and wind, is a highly predictable and consistent source of energy. However, infrastructural cost and environmental impact have been the major hurdles in the utilisation of tidal power as a major alternative energy resource.
Construction of tidal barrages or dams is one of the most common methods employed in harnessing tidal energy. These barrages which are built across estuaries or bays work like a hydro-electric scheme where the huge volumes of water from the tides drive turbines built into the barrage, generating electricity. But, high construction and maintenance costs and disruption of the sensitive ecosystems by the construction of barrages are major set backs that have prevented tidal energy from entering the top league of alternative energy resources.
Underwater tidal stream generators (TSG) that can harness power from fast moving sea currents (tidal streams), however, are an alternative solution which has the potential to take tidal power to a new level. Though this is a relatively new technology with considerable research still underway, the tidal stream generators have proven to overcome the major issues posed by the tidal barrages.
Apart from being cheaper to build, the environmental impact of TSGs is much lower than the tidal barrages. As these turbines turn relatively slowly, they do not pose the severe disruption to marine ecosystem and migrating fishes as the barrages do.
AK1000, which is touted as the world’s largest and most powerful tidal turbine was unveiled in Scotland, earlier this year. The 130 ton, 22.5 m tall giant which can generate 1 MW electricity, enough to power 1000 homes, however presents the greatest advantage of having zero impact on its surrounding environment due to its low rotational speed (6-8 rpm).
Also, with the world’s first wave and tidal energy project on a commercial scale awaiting completion off the Scottish coast, UK is now poised to lead the world in tidal power generation. Ten massive schemes capable of generating up to 1.2 GW of energy (with the potential to power 750,000 homes) have been sanctioned around the Orkney Islands and on the Pentland Firth, located off the northern coast of the Scottish mainland. If all goes well, Scotland could very well turn out to be the ‘Saudi Arabia of marine energy’, as First Minister Alex Salmond predicts.
More information: www.bbc.co.uk/news/10153669
Photo from the BBC
4 Responses to “What does the future hold for tidal power?”
ecoadmin says:
There have been a number of tidal schemes proposed for parts of the British Isles but none have come tom fruition – the Bristol Channel is one of the most famous. Only now it is being recognised as a ‘viable’ solution but, alas, many years too late!
Andrew H Mackay says:
The best tidal stream generators convert just 4.6% of the resource into electricity annually. This makes generating electricity in real time from tidal streams unviable. However, there is a way of increasing the output by a factor of ten by using heat as a storage medium.
Andrew Leech says:
Hello Andrew
This sounds like a winner. Would you be able to send details of the storage system please?
Andrew H Mackay says:
Andrew,
Please visit http://www.greenheating.com
for my contact details