Renewable energy is definitely on the world's agenda for most governments, and any alternative energy suggestions and ideas are appreciated and seriously considered if noteworthy enough. Another conventional renewable form of energy is tidal energy. Fundamentally it will work along the same principal as a water wheel, the movement of tidal levels causing different water elevations during high tide and low tide, is the means to harvest energy.
Building a dam across the mouth of a bay or inlet to impede the incoming and outgoing tides is the first step. Then when caused by tidal change, the water pressure level on either side of the wall or dam becomes higher than the level on the opposing side; water will begin crossing over the wall and can be channeled into a turbine to get to the other side, which would then produce electricity by turning a generator.
A tidal power plant facility would have a very low maintenance cost, although the main obstacles would be a large initial investment to buy and develop the facility, and the global location would determine the amount of energy output, locations nearer to the North and South Poles have the greatest tidal ranges and would be the most ideal location for such a facility. Some areas of the Earth have more than 26-foot regular tidal changes, but a minimum of at least 8 feet would be necessary to make a tidal power plant economically feasible. Also another limitation would be the time between tides in which little or no electricity could be produced, so a steady rate of electricity can't be expected to be supplied always during peak times. A tidal power plant would best be used to augment current power plants.
Contrasting conventional combustion power plants, using a tidal power plant wouldn't add to global warming or pollution in anyway. The only real damage or negative effect from a tidal power plant would be the altering of the coastal shoreline due to its construction, and which can affect the ecosystem in that area.
Wave energy outside the tidal power plant could be tapped, but similarly as with the tidal power plant electricity produced wouldn't be as consistent as conventional power producing facilities. Wave power hasn't received much attention, and would at best augment the electrical production of a tidal power plant.
Another idea for producing electricity from the ocean is ocean thermal energy. The earth's surface is covered by two-thirds water, so the oceans are collecting and storing an unbelievable amount of solar energy daily. Using ocean thermal energy capitalizes on the temperature differences between varying ocean depths, this temperate difference is the engine or force to be harnessed in the production of electricity.
Although ocean thermal energy is a great innovative idea as a renewable energy source, the technology to harness the oceans thermal energy is far behind most other renewable or alternative energy sources.
Sooner and hopefully not later, the global economy will have to switch from burning hydrocarbons that damage the environment to using renewable environmentally friendly alternative energy sources such as tidal power, or ocean thermal energy. The transition will not be easy without alternative energy suggestions and ideas.
