Tidal Energy- Riding the Waves to Clean Energy: Hydropower: Eco20/20

Tidal Energy- Riding the Waves to Clean Energy

When it comes to searching for alternative ways of generating energy for the ever-increasing demand of our world, it seems some people and companies will come up with the wildest and most innovative ideas ever. Tidal energy is just that though, innovative and a potential answer to the future of clean renewable energy.

One of the most interesting facts about tidal energy is that even though it might sounds like an amazing and futuristic way to produce energy, it's important to note that forms of tidal energy have been around since approximately 787 A.D when people on the French and British coasts captured the power of the tide with specially designed pools that powered essentially water wheels. Tidal energy in the modern sense has also been producing electricity since 1966. It would be safe to say that tidal energy has a fairly limited, but completely successful history of producing clean and viable electricity.

Tidal energy itself works on the basis of a fairly simple concept that you can use different methods to capture the kinetic energy of the ocean's tides as come in and goes out. The main methods of capturing this energy come in two main flavors. First and most common is capturing the energy of what are called tidal streams or almost like underwater rivers where the flow of water is caused by the tides. All somebody has to do is install what would look like an underwater windmill in one of these tidal streams and that's it…instant tidal power.

The other means of production for tidal power that is used far less often is the tidal barge. The tidal barge is a very long set of barges that stretches across an estuary and creates almost like a dam. The great thing about tidal energy is that its derived energy source, tides, are completely safe, clean, and unlike wind or solar very predictable. What makes tidal energy an even better argument is that installation costs are relatively low. Tidal energy plants use many conventional parts from hydroelectric plants, very commonplace marine architecture, and conventional means of electricity transmission. All of these factors lead to tidal energy being very cost effective in many coastal regions.

Although tidal energy is sounding like the golden child of the renewable energy movement, it's important to note a few downsides to tidal energy as well. Probably the biggest downside to tidal energy is the simple yet unavoidable fact that tides only occur at certain times of the day. In almost every case as well, energy generated from tidal power misses peak demand when the need for electricity on the grid is at its highest and utility providers usually have to start firing up other fossil fuel based means of power generation.

Another downside to tidal energy seems to be its perceived capacity. Through all of the studies that have been done about tidal energy, it seems that if tidal energy is utilized at every available site, the whole system could only produce about 64,000 Megawatts of electricity. This is roughly the equivalent of about 70 conventional coal fired power plants.

Don't despair though, tidal energy has a great shot at helping the world generate clean, sustainable, and renewable forms of energy. There is no pollution and the use of tidal steams to generate electricity has a very small ecological footprint on the ocean and surrounding coastal areas. Remember that tidal energy might not be able to supply the world with all of its energy needs, but it does have the capacity to replace potentially 70 big carbon dioxide emitting, acid rain causing power plants with a form of energy that is 100% clean, renewable, and predictable.

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