tidal energy essay

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Tidal energy.

Tidal energy is power produced by the surge of ocean waters during the rise and fall of tides. Tidal energy is a renewable source of energy.

Earth Science, Geography, Physical Geography, Social Studies, Economics

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Tidal energy is produced by the surge of ocean waters during the rise and fall of tides . Tidal energy is a renewable source of energy . During the 20th century, engineers developed ways to use tidal movement to generate electricity in areas where there is a significant tidal range —the difference in area between high tide and low tide . All methods use special generators to convert tidal energy into electricity . Tidal energy production is still in its infancy . The amount of power produced so far has been small. There are very few commercial -sized tidal power plants operating in the world. The first was located in La Rance, France. The largest facility is the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station in South Korea. The United States has no tidal plants and only a few sites where tidal energy could be produced at a reasonable price. China, France, England, Canada, and Russia have much more potential to use this type of energy . In the United States, there are legal concerns about underwater land ownership and environmental impact . Investors are not enthusiastic about tidal energy because there is not a strong guarantee that it will make money or benefit consumers . Engineers are working to improve the technology of tidal energy generators to increase the amount of energy they produce, to decrease their impact on the environment, and to find a way to earn a profit for energy companies. Tidal Energy Generators There are currently three different ways to get tidal energy : tidal streams , barrages , and tidal lagoons . For most tidal energy generators , turbines are placed in tidal streams . A tidal stream is a fast-flowing body of water created by tides . A turbine is a machine that takes energy from a flow of fluid . That fluid can be air (wind) or liquid (water). Because water is much more dense than air, tidal energy is more powerful than wind energy . Unlike wind, tides are predictable and stable . Where tidal generators are used, they produce a steady, reliable stream of electricity . Placing turbines in tidal streams is complex , because the machines are large and disrupt the tide they are trying to harness . The environmental impact could be severe , depending on the size of the turbine and the site of the tidal stream . Turbines are most effective in shallow water. This produces more energy and allows ships to navigate around the turbines . A tidal generator 's turbine blades also turn slowly, which helps marine life avoid getting caught in the system. The world's first tidal power station was constructed in 2007 at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. The turbines are placed in a narrow strait between the Strangford Lough inlet and the Irish Sea. The tide can move at 4 meters (13 feet) per second across the strait .

Barrage Another type of tidal energy generator uses a large dam called a barrage . With a barrage , water can spill over the top or through turbines in the dam because the dam is low. Barrages can be constructed across tidal rivers , bays , and estuaries. Turbines inside the barrage harness the power of tides the same way a river dam harnesses the power of a river. The barrage gates are open as the tide rises. At high tide , the barrage gates close, creating a pool, or tidal lagoon . The water is then released through the barrage 's turbines , creating energy at a rate that can be controlled by engineers . The environmental impact of a barrage system can be quite significant . The land in the tidal range is completely disrupted . The change in water level in the tidal lagoon might harm plant and animal life. The salinity inside the tidal lagoon lowers, which changes the organisms that are able to live there. As with dams across rivers, fish are blocked into or out of the tidal lagoon . Turbines move quickly in barrages , and marine animals can be caught in the blades. With their food source limited, birds might find different places to migrate . A barrage is a much more expensive tidal energy generator than a single turbine . Although there are no fuel costs, barrages involve more construction and more machines. Unlike single turbines , barrages also require constant supervision to adjust power output. The tidal power plant at the Rance River estuary in Brittany, France, uses a barrage . It was built in 1966 and is still functioning . The plant uses two sources of energy : tidal energy from the English Channel and river current energy from the Rance River. The barrage has led to an increased level of silt in the habitat . Native aquatic plants suffocate in silt , and a flatfish called plaice is now extinct in the area. Other organisms, such as cuttlefish , a relative of squids , now thrive in the Rance estuary . Cuttlefish prefer cloudy, silty ecosystems . Tidal Lagoon The final type of tidal energy generator involves the construction of tidal lagoons . A tidal lagoon is a body of ocean water that is partly enclosed by a natural or manmade barrier. Tidal lagoons might also be estuaries and have freshwater emptying into them. A tidal energy generator using tidal lagoons would function much like a barrage . Unlike barrages , however, tidal lagoons can be constructed along the natural coastline . A tidal lagoon power plant could also generate continuous power. The turbines work as the lagoon is filling and emptying. The environmental impact of tidal lagoons is minimal . The lagoons can be constructed with natural materials like rock . They would appear as a low breakwater (sea wall) at low tide , and be submerged at high tide . Animals could swim around the structure, and smaller organisms could swim inside it. Large predators like sharks would not be able to penetrate the lagoon, so smaller fish would probably thrive . Birds would likely flock to the area. But the energy output from generators using tidal lagoons is likely to be low. There are no functioning examples yet. China is constructing a tidal lagoon power plant at the Yalu River, near its border with North Korea. A private company is also planning a small tidal lagoon power plant in Swansea Bay , Wales.

DTP Dynamic tidal power (DTP) is one of the newest proposals to harness the power of tides. Using DTP, enormous dams (as long as 50 kilometers (31 miles)) would extend straight from the shore into the open ocean.

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Tidal Energy

What is tidal energy.

Tidal energy is a form of power produced by the natural rise and fall of tides caused by the gravitational interaction between Earth, the sun, and the moon. Tidal currents with sufficient energy for harvesting occur when water passes through a constriction, causing the water to move faster. Using specially engineered generators in suitable locations, tidal energy can be converted into useful forms of power, including electricity. Other forms of energy can also be generated from the ocean, including waves, persistent ocean currents, and the differences in temperature and salinity in seawater.

Suitable locations for capturing tidal energy include those with large differences in tidal range, which is the difference between high tide and low tides, and where tidal channels and waterways become smaller and tidal currents become stronger.

As worldwide demand for clean electricity, renewable fuels, and critical materials for energy and industrial processes grows, it is crucial to identify and secure sustainable energy resources beyond what is currently available. Researchers recognize the vast potential of the ocean to produce reliable, renewable energy for a variety of uses. The Water Power Technologies Office of the Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that energy from waves, tides, and ocean currents have the combined potential to generate enough electricity to power millions of homes.

Because water is denser than air, tidal energy is more powerful than wind energy , producing exponentially more power at the same turbine diameter and rotor speed. Tidal power is also more predictable and consistent than wind or solar energy , both of which are intermittent and less predictable. This makes tidal energy an intriguing renewable energy source to pursue. The challenge is in making it commercially feasible to capture and convert the energy into usable power at scale, as well as finding uses of tidal energy where costs are less sensitive than national grid electricity.

To fully harness tidal energy as a significant and ongoing source of clean energy, it is critical that researchers explore ways to assist in developing technologies and methods that increase its viability for broad commercial application. The industry is largely just emerging, with complex barriers to overcome before it can sustainably grow and thrive.

A history of tidal energy

People in Europe first used tidal energy to operate grain mills more than 1,000 years ago. Incoming tidewater was retained in storage ponds and the outgoing tidal movement was used to turn waterwheels to mill grain. This process of using falling water and spinning turbines to create electricity was introduced in the 19th century.

Early attempts at tidal power plants incorporated a dam-like barrage approach. However, this has not ultimately remained the focus of industry.

Four early feasibility studies for large-scale tidal power plants were conducted in the United States and Canada between 1924 and 1977 by the U.S. Power Commission, Nova Scotia Light and Power, and the U.S. and Canadian governments, respectively. All were focused on specific geographic locations around border areas between Maine and Canada. While conclusions varied regarding economic feasibility, they did not yield significant progress.

A large tidal barrage was built in La Rance, France in 1966 and still operates today with 240 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation capacity, the largest in the world until 2011, when an array with 254 MW capacity opened in South Korea.

In the past two decades, the industry has turned toward in-stream tidal energy generation, where a single device or groups (or arrays) of devices are placed within the tidal stream. The European Marine Energy Centre, established in 2003, is the world’s largest facility for testing and demonstrating wave and tidal technologies in real sea conditions. The facility, which has grid-connected test sites for larger prototypes and scale test sites for smaller devices, has facilitated testing of more tidal energy devices than any other site in the world.

Tidal energy importance and applications

Tidal energy represents a significant opportunity to increase the world’s renewable power generation capacity. As countries continue to develop, and the global population and its reliance on energy grows, so does the demand on power systems to provide additional clean energy resources. Tidal energy could potentially supply a significant percentage of future electricity needs if barriers, including robustness of devices, environmental challenges, and the cost-effectiveness of its commercial application, can be successfully navigated.

Tidal energy is best captured in areas with high tidal ranges and strong currents. There are several ways to harness it.

Tidal turbines can be installed in places with strong tidal activity, either floating or on the sea floor, individually or in arrays. They look and operate much like wind turbines, using blades to turn a rotor that powers a generator, but must be significantly more robust given their operating environment and, as tidal turbines are much smaller than large wind turbines, more turbines are required to produce the same amount of energy. Multiple tidal demonstration projects are under way in the United States.

Turbines placed in tidal streams capture energy from the current, and underwater cables transmit it to the grid. Tidal stream systems can capture energy at sites with high tidal velocities created by land constrictions, such as in straits or inlets. When fully operational, the MeyGen project in Scotland will be the largest tidal stream generating station in the world, with up to 398 MW generation capacity.

Tidal barrages are like dams built across tidal rivers, bays, and estuaries to form a tidal basin. Turbines inside the barrage enable the basin to fill during incoming tides and release through the system during outgoing tides, generating electricity in both directions. It operates much like a river dam in capturing the power in surrounding water. Two of the world’s largest tidal power stations are barrages in South Korea and France, with 254 MW and 240 MW electricity generation capacity, respectively. The next largest in Canada has much lower generation capacity at 20 MW.

Tidal lagoons are like barrages in using man-made retaining walls to partially contain a large volume of incoming tidal water, with embedded turbines to capture its energy. They also rely on a large tidal range to generate power. Unlike barrages, tidal lagoons could be placed along natural coastline for continuous power generation as the tide changes and designed to minimize their environmental footprint. Though the energy output from tidal lagoons is unproven, with no current examples in operation, a few are under development in China, North Korea, and the United Kingdom. Due to the environmental challenges they pose, tidal barrages and lagoons are not the focus of tidal energy development efforts in most areas of the world.

The predominant application for tidal energy has been the generation of electricity for use on shore via the national power grid. There is also potential value in tidal energy to serve the needs of other existing or emerging ocean industries (e.g., aquaculture, ocean mineral mining, oceanographic research, or military missions), as captured in DOE’s Powering the Blue Economy Initiative. The “ blue economy ” is defined as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs, while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.

Benefits of tidal energy

Tidal energy is a clean, renewable, sustainable resource that is underutilized and represents significant opportunity to meet growing global energy needs, both now and in the future. Water is hundreds of times denser than air, which makes tidal energy more powerful than wind. It is more efficient than wind or solar energy due to its relative density and produces no greenhouse gases or other waste, making it an attractive renewable energy source to pursue.

Also beneficial is the relative predictability and reliability of continuous tides, especially compared to other renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which are affected by the variability and uncertainty of atmospheric forcing. Low tide and high tide cycles are easy to predict and rarely experience unexpected changes.

To realize the benefits of tidal energy on a commercial scale, it will be important for researchers to identify new technologies and methods that significantly lower installation and maintenance costs, reduce environmental effects, and increase the suitability of more locations. There are a few tidal projects in operation; however, the industry is growing slowly due to barriers to entry and lack of supply chain.

Limitations of tidal energy

Tidal energy as an industry remains limited by a few significant barriers, cost being its most challenging. Developing tidal arrays and connecting them to the power grid requires extensive and costly engineering and manufacturing work. While there are numerous tidal technologies being tested that may improve affordability, none have emerged as a market leader that could help establish supply chains and begin reducing installation and maintenance costs.

Tidal energy technologies have been slow to develop, and some industry participants have exited the market. Suitable locations for tidal energy facilities are inherently limited, given that not all coastal bays and tidal channels experience the conditions required for effective power generation. And among those limited locations, some are not near the grid, requiring further investment to install lengthy undersea cables for transmitting generated electricity.

In addition to cost and geographic limitations, there is also significant concern about environmental effects. Constructing and operating tidal energy arrays based on massive underwater structures may change the ambient flow field and water quality, as well as negatively affect sea life and their habitats, potentially threatening collisions by marine animals and fish with rotating turbine blades and affecting marine animal navigation and communication with underwater noise. This may cause some sensitive species to shy away from electromagnetic fields from power cables or changes to their habitats.

Achieving cost reductions, developing devices that can endure ocean forces, and minimizing environmental effects to improve tidal energy’s commercial viability is and must be the primary focus of research investments in this area.

Recent advances in tidal energy

Tidal power arrays of varying sizes are being developed or have been deployed recently around the world, with much focus on energy generation from tidal streams or currents. A tidal stream array located in the Pentland Firth in Scotland—the body of water between the Scottish mainland and the northern islands—is the newest to begin operating and is the first of its kind. The MeyGen tidal energy project began phased operations in 2018, and its first four turbines had generated and delivered more than 35 gigawatt-hours of power to the grid by the end of 2020. At full deployment, 61 turbines submerged on the seabed will generate up to 400 MW of energy from high-speed currents in the area.

There are multiple projects under way in Wales, an emerging hotspot for the industry. This development will include a top center for marine engineering, which was approved by the United Kingdom and Welsh governments in 2020 and will include among its assets a 90-kilometer demonstration zone to enable the deployment of future tidal energy generation technologies.

There are other test sites and technology deployments at various stages in countries including Scotland, France, Japan, Korea, China, Canada, and the United States as developers bring forward new and improved tidal current technologies that show promise for clearing key hurdles to commercial viability. The ability to assess the performance and environmental effects of new technologies in real sea conditions is critical to sustainable industry advancement.

Engineers are working to improve tidal energy generation technologies to increase their energy production efficiency, reduce biofouling, decrease their environmental effects, and find a path to commercial profitability.

Tidal energy at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

Researchers at PNNL are studying tidal hydrodynamics and developing sophisticated models to help understand and characterize tidal energy resources, simulate their extraction by various types of tidal turbines, and assess potential environmental effects—to water quality, fish migration, and sediment disturbance, for instance. The results from these studies can inform site selection for tidal energy generation installations, assist with estimating resource requirements for tidal energy projects, inform technology advancement, and support international standards development.

At the PNNL Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory, researchers are working to address significant barriers to broad applications of tidal energy resources, from commercialization to Powering the Blue Economy . The industry requires access to testing facilities to advance technologies before maturing them for deployment. Through the Triton Initiative and the U.S. Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research Program , PNNL lends technical expertise and facilities for the study of tidal energy technologies under development and the potential risks associated with their use. For more than a decade, PNNL has led the Ocean Energy Systems-Environmental (OES-Environmental) Initiative , bringing together 16 countries to assess environmental effects of marine energy to remove permitting barriers. The Triton Initiative works synergistically with OES-Environmental to research methods and identify instruments for measuring environmental effects.

Another important focus of PNNL’s efforts related to tidal energy is to organize and connect knowledge within the research community, marine energy industry, the blue economy, and other interested stakeholders. In fact, PNNL developed Tethys and Tethys Engineering to offer collaborative virtual research spaces with access to pertinent databases and knowledge hubs, and is helping develop a data repository for research and development activities in this area. Both are part of a larger system led by PNNL called PRIMRE (Portal and Repository for Marine Renewable Energy), which encompasses all of the U.S. data and information associated with marine energy.

In addition to significant modeling and data-driven work, researchers at PNNL are also studying materials of potential interest for helping reduce costs while increasing material durability and lifespan and controlling biofouling in tidal installations.

Research topics

Geography Notes

Tidal energy: compilation of essays on tidal energy | energy management.

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Essay on Tidal Energy

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Scenario of Tidal Energy in India

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Essay # 1. Introduction to Tidal Energy :

The tides rise and fall in eternal cycles. Tides are changes in the level of the oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and the rotation of the earth. Near shore water levels can vary up to 40 feet, depending on the season and local factors. Only about 20 locations have good inlets and a large enough tidal range—about 10 feet—to produce energy economically.

The generation of electricity from tides is similar to hydroelectric generation, except that tidal water flows in two directions. The simplest generating system for tidal plants involves a dam, known as a barrage, across an inlet. Sluice gates on the barrage allow the tidal basin to fill on the incoming high tides and to empty through the turbine system on the outgoing tide, known as the ebb tide.

Flood-generating systems that generate power from the incoming tide are possible, but are less favoured than ebb generating systems. Two-way generation systems, which generate electricity on both the incoming and ebb tides, are also possible.

The construction of a tidal barrage in a inlet can change the tidal level in the basin. It can also have an effect on the sedimentation and turbidity of the water within the basin. In addition, navigation and recreation can be affected. A higher tidal level can cause flooding of the shoreline, which can affect the local marine food chain.

Potentially the largest disadvantage of tidal power is the effect a tidal station has on the plants and animals that live within an estuary. Since few tidal barrages have been built, very little is known about the full impact of tidal power systems on the local environment. In every case, it will depend on the local geography and marine ecosystem.

There are currently two commercial sized barrages in operation—a 240 MW turbine at La Ranee, France and a 16 MW plant at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada. Several other tidal power stations are being considered, including the Severn project in England.

The United States has no tidal plants and only a few sites where tidal energy could be produced economically. France, England, Canada and Russia have much more potential. The keys are to lower construction costs, increase output and protect the environment.

Tidal fences can also harness the energy in the tides. A tidal fence has a vertical axis turbines mounted within a fence structure called a caisson that completely blocks a channel, forcing all of the water through it. Unlike barrage stations, tidal fences can be used in unconfined basins, such as in a channel between the mainland and a nearby offshore island or between two islands.

As a result, tidal fences have much less impact on the environment, because they do not require flooding the basin. They are also significantly cheaper to install. Tidal fences have the advantage of being able to generate electricity once each individual module is installed.

Tidal fences are not free of environmental and economic impacts, however, since the caisson can disrupt the movement of large marine animals and shipping. A 55 MW tidal fence is planned for the San Bernadino Strait in the Philippines.

Tidal turbines are a new technology that can be used in many tidal areas. Tidal turbines are basically wind turbines that can be located wherever there is strong tidal flow, as well as in river estuaries. Since water is about 800 times as dense as air, tidal turbines will have to be much sturdier than wind turbines. They will be heavier and more expensive to build, but will be able to capture more energy.

Essay # 2. Meaning of Tidal Energy :

Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into electricity or other useful forms of power. The first large-scale tidal power plant (the Ranee Tidal Power Station) started operation in 1966.

Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar power. Among sources of renewable energy, tidal power has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability.

However, many recent technological developments and improvements, both in design (e.g., dynamic tidal power, tidal lagoons) and turbine technology (e.g., new axial turbines, cross-flow turbines), are suggesting that the total availability of tidal power may be much higher than previously assumed, and that economic and environmental costs may be brought down to competitive levels.

Historically, tide mills have been used, both in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North America. The earliest occurrences date from the Middle Ages, or even from Roman times.

France is currently the only country that has significantly harnessed tidal energy and has the largest tidal power station in the world. Built in 1966, the La Ranee tidal power station of Electricite de France (EdF) in Mont Saint Michel (Northern France) has a generating capacity of 240 MW. It has 24 bulb-type turbines, each of 10 MW rating.

The Severn Barrage is a proposed tidal power station to be built across the Bristol Channel (Severn Estuary) in UK. The River Severn has a tidal range of 14 m, making it perfect for tidal power generation. The Severn Barrage would involve the construction of a 16-km long barrage between Lavernock Point (Wales) and Brean Down (England). A total of 214 turbines each of 40 MW would be built into the barrage, making it a colossal of power plant of 8,560 MW of installed capacity with an average annual generation of 17 GWh.

Essay # 3. Generation of Tidal Energy :

Tidal power is the only form of energy which derives directly from the relative motions of the Earth-Moon system, and to a lesser extent from the Earth-Sun system. The tidal forces produced by the Moon and Sun, in combination with Earth’s rotation, are responsible for the generation of the tides.

Other sources of energy originate directly or indirectly from the Sun, including fossil fuels, conventional hydroelectric, wind, biofuels, wave power and solar. Nuclear energy is derived using radioactive material from the Earth, geothermal power uses the Earth’s internal heat which comes from a combination of residual heat from planetary accretion (about 20%) and heat produced through radioactive decay (80%).

Tidal energy is generated by the relative motion of the water which interact via., gravity. Periodic changes of water levels, and associated tidal currents, are due to the gravitational attraction by the Sun and Moon. The magnitude of the tide at a location is the result of the changing positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth, the effects of Earth rotation, and the local shape of the sea floor and coastlines.

Because the Earth’s tides are caused by the tidal forces due to gravitational interaction with the Moon and Sun, and the Earth’s rotation, tidal power is practically inexhaustible and classified as a renewable energy source.

A tidal generator uses this phenomenon to generate electricity. The stronger the tide, either in water level height or tidal current velocities, the greater the potential for tidal electricity generation.

Tidal movement causes a continual loss of mechanical energy in the Earth-Moon system due to pumping of water through the natural restrictions around coastlines, and due to viscous dissipation at the seabed and in turbulence. This loss of energy has caused the rotation of the Earth to slow in the 4.5 billion years since formation.

During the last 620 million years the period of rotation has increased from 21.9 hours to the 24 hours we see now; in this period the Earth has lost 17% of its rotational energy. While tidal power may take additional energy from the system, increasing the rate of slowdown, the effect would be noticeable over millions of years only, thus being negligible.

Essay # 4. Tidal Power Generation Methods:

Tidal power can be classified into three generating methods:

i. Tidal stream systems make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to windmills that use moving air. This method is gaining in popularity because of the lower cost and lower ecological impact compared to barrages.

ii. Barrages make use of the potential energy in the difference in height (or head) between high and low tides. Barrages are essentially dams across the full width of a tidal estuary, and suffer from very high civil infrastructure costs, a worldwide shortage of viable sites, and environmental issues.

iii. Dynamic tidal power exploits a combination of potential and kinetic energy by constructing long dams of 30-50 km in length from the coast straight out into the sea or ocean, without enclosing an area. Both the obstruction of the tidal flow by the dam – as well as the tidal phase differences introduced by the presence of the dam (which is not negligible in length as compared to the tidal wavelength) – leads to hydraulic head differences along the dam.

Turbines in the dam are used to convert power (6-15 GW per day). In shallow coastal seas featuring strong coast-parallel oscillating tidal currents (common in the UK, China and Korea), a significant water level differential (2-3 meter) will appear between both sides of the dam.

Modern advances in turbine technology may eventually see large amounts of power generated from the ocean, especially tidal currents using the tidal stream designs but also from the major thermal current systems such as the Gulf Stream, which is covered by the more general term marine current power.

Tidal stream turbines may be arrayed in high-velocity areas where natural tidal current flows are concentrated such as the west and east coasts of Canada, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Bosporus, and numerous sites in Southeast Asia and Australia. Such flows occur almost anywhere where there are entrances to bays and rivers, or between land masses where water currents are concentrated.

The various types of turbine used in tidal power generation are:

i. Axial turbine.

ii. Vertical and horizontal axis cross-flow turbines.

iii. Oscillating devices using aerofoils.

iv. Venturi effect.

Turbine Power :

Various turbine designs have varying efficiencies and therefore varying power output. If the efficiency of the turbine “ξ” is known the equation below can be used to determine the power output of a turbine.

The energy available from these kinetic systems can be expressed as:

where, ξ = the turbine efficiency

P = the power generated (in watts)

ρ = the density of the water (seawater is 1025 kg/m 3 )

A = the sweep area of the turbine (in m 2 )

V = the velocity of the flow

Relative to an open turbine in free stream, depending on the geometry of the shroud shrouded turbines are capable of as much as 3 to 4 times the power of the same turbine rotor in open flow.

Resource Assessment :

While initial assessments of the available energy in a channel have focus on calculations using the kinetic energy flux model, the limitations of tidal power generation are significantly more complicated.

For example, the maximum physical possible energy extraction from a strait is given by:

P= 0.221 ρg ΔH max Q max

where, ρ = the density of the water (seawater is 1025 kg/m 3 )

g = gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s 2 )

ΔH max = maximum differential water surface elevation across the channel

Q max = maximum volumetric flow rate though the channel.

Essay # 5. Barrage Method of Extracting Tidal Energy :

The barrage method of extracting tidal energy involves building a barrage across a bay or river. Turbines installed in the barrage wall generate power as water flows in and out of the estuary basin, bay, or river. These systems are similar to a hydro dam that produces Static Head or pressure head (a height of water pressure). When the water level outside of the basin or lagoon changes relative to the water level inside, the turbines are able to produce power.

The basic elements of a barrage are caissons, embankments, sluices, turbines, and ship locks. Sluices, turbines, and ship locks are housed in caissons (very large concrete blocks). Embankments seal a basin where it is not sealed by caissons.

The sluice gates applicable to tidal power are the flap gate, vertical rising gate, radial gate, and rising sector.

Only a few such plants exist. The largest is the Ranee Tidal Power Station, on the Ranee river, in France, which has been operating since 1966, and generates 240MW. Smaller plants include one on the Bay of Fundy, and another across a tiny inlet in Kislaya Guba, Russia). A number of proposals have been considered for a Severn barrage across the River Severn, from Brean Down in England to Lavernock Point near Cardiff in Wales.

Barrage systems are affected by problems of high civil infrastructure costs associated with what is in effect a dam being placed across estuarine systems, and the environmental problems associated with changing a large ecosystem.

The tidal power scheme may be design to operate in following modes:

1. Ebb Generation:

The basin is filled through the sluices until high tide. Then the sluice gates are closed. (At this stage there may be ‘Pumping’ to raise the level further). The turbine gates are kept closed until the sea level falls to create sufficient head across the barrage, and then are opened so that the turbines generate until the head is again low.

Then the sluices are opened, turbines disconnected and the basin is filled again. The cycle repeats itself. Ebb generation (also known as outflow generation) takes its name because generation occurs as the tide changes tidal direction.

2. Flood Generation :

The basin is filled through the turbines, which generate at tide flood. This is generally much less efficient than ebb generation, because the volume contained in the upper half of the basin (which is where ebb generation operates) is greater than the volume of the lower half (filled first during flood generation).

Therefore the available level difference important for the turbine power produced between the basin side and the sea side of the barrage, reduces more quickly than it would in ebb generation. Rivers flowing into the basin may further reduce the energy potential, instead of enhancing it as in ebb generation. Of course this is not a problem with the ‘lagoon’ model, without river inflow.

3. Pumping :

Turbines are able to be powered in reverse by excess energy in the grid to increase the water level in the basin at high tide (for ebb generation). This energy is more than returned during generation, because power output is strongly related to the head.

If water is raised 2 ft (61 cm) by pumping on a high tide of 10 ft (3 m), this will have been raised by 12 ft (3.7 m) at low tide. The cost of a 2 ft rise is returned by the benefits of a 12 ft rise. This is since the correlation between the potential energy is not a linear relationship, rather, is related by the square of the tidal height variation.

4. Two-Basin Schemes :

Another form of energy barrage configuration is that of the dual basin type. With two basins, one is filled at high tide and the other is emptied at low tide. Turbines are placed between the basins. Two-basin schemes offer advantages over normal schemes in that generation time can be adjusted with high flexibility and it is also possible to generate almost continuously.

In normal estuarine situations, however, two-basin schemes are very expensive to construct due to the cost of the extra length of barrage. There are some favourable geographies, however, which are well suited to this type of scheme.

5. Environmental Impact :

The placement of a barrage into an estuary has a considerable effect on the water inside the basin and on the ecosystem. Many governments have been reluctant in recent times to grant approval for tidal barrages. Through research conducted on tidal plants, it has been found that tidal barrages constructed at the mouths of estuaries pose similar environmental threats as large dams.

The construction of large tidal plants alters the flow of saltwater in and out of estuaries, which changes the hydrology and salinity and possibly negatively affects the marine mammals that use the estuaries as their habitat The La Ranee plant, off the Brittany coast of northern France, was the first and largest tidal barrage plant in the world. It is also the only site where a full-scale evaluation of the ecological impact of a tidal power system, operating for 20 years, has been made.

French researchers found that the isolation of the estuary during the construction phases of the tidal barrage was detrimental to flora and fauna, however; after ten years, there has been a “variable degree of biological adjustment to the new environmental conditions”.

Some species lost their habitat due to La Ranee’s construction, but other species colonized the abandoned space, which caused a shift in diversity. Also as a result of the construction, sandbanks disappeared, the beach of St. Servan was badly damaged and high-speed currents have developed near sluices, which are water channels controlled by gates.

6. Turbidity :

Turbidity (the amount of matter in suspension in the water) decreases as a result of smaller volume of water being exchanged between the basin and the sea. This lets light from the Sun penetrate the water further, improving conditions for the phytoplankton. The changes propagate up the food chain, causing a general change in the ecosystem.

7. Tidal Fences and Turbines :

Tidal fences and turbines can have varying environmental impacts depending on whether or not fences and turbines are constructed with regard to the environment. The main environmental impact of turbines is their impact on fish. If the turbines are moving slowly enough, such as low velocities of 25-50 rpm, fish kill is minimalized and silt and other nutrients are able to flow through the structures.

For example, a 20 kW tidal turbine prototype built in the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1983 reported no fish kills Tidal fences block off channels, which makes it difficult for fish and wildlife to migrate through those channels.

In order to reduce fish kill, fences could be engineered so that the spaces between the caisson wall and the rotor foil are large enough to allow fish to pass through. Larger marine mammals such as seals or dolphins can be protected from the turbines by fences or a sonar sensor auto-breaking system that automatically shuts the turbines down when marine mammals are detected.

Overall, many researchers have argued that while tidal barrages pose environmental threats, tidal fences and tidal turbines, if constructed properly, are likely to be more environmentally benign. Unlike barrages, tidal fences and turbines do not block channels or estuarine mouths, interrupt fish migration or alter hydrology, thus, these options offer energy generating capacity without dire environmental impacts.

8. Salinity:

As a result of less water exchange with the sea, the average salinity inside the basin decreases, also affecting the ecosystem. ‘Tidal Lagoons’ do not suffer from this problem.

9. Sediment Movements:

Estuaries often have high volume of sediments moving through them, from the rivers to the sea. The introduction of a barrage into an estuary may result in sediment accumulation within the barrage, affecting the ecosystem and also the operation of the barrage.

Fish may move through sluices safely, but when these are closed, fish will seek out turbines and attempt to swim through them. Also, some fish will be unable to escape the water speed near a turbine and will be sucked through. Even with the most fish-friendly turbine design, fish mortality per pass is approximately 15% (from pressure drop, contact with blades, cavitation, etc.).

Alternative passage technologies (fish ladders, fish lifts, fish escalators etc.) have so far failed to solve this problem for tidal barrages, either offering extremely expensive solutions, or ones which are used by a small fraction of fish only. Research in sonic guidance of fish is ongoing. The Open-Centre turbine reduces this problem allowing fish to pass through the open centre of the turbine.

Recently a rim of the river type turbine has been developed in France. This is a very large slow rotating Kaplan type turbine mounted on an angle. Testing for fish mortality has indicated fish mortality figures to be less than 5%. This concept also seems very suitable for adaption to marine current/tidal turbines.

Essay # 6. Scenario of Tidal Energy in India:

Tidal energy projects are extremely site specific. The quality of the topography of the basin also needs to facilitate civil construction of the power plant. Tidal energy is a clean mechanism and does not involve the use of fossil fuels. However, environmental concerns exist mainly to do with higher silt formation at the shore (due to preventing tides from reaching the shore and washing away silt) and disruption to marine life near the tidal basin.

Wave energy projects have lesser ecological impact than tidal wave energy projects. In terms of reliability, tidal energy projects are believed to be more predictable than those harnessing solar or wind energy, since occurrences of tides are fully predictable.

Since India is surrounded by sea on three sides, its potential to harness tidal energy has been recognized by the Government of India. Potential sites for tidal power development have already been located. The most attractive locations are the Gulf of Cambay and the Culf of Kachchh on the west coast where the maximum tidal range is 11 m and 8 m with average tidal range of 6.77 m and 5.23 m respectively.

The Ganges Delta in the Sunderbans in West Bengal also has good locations for small scale tidal power development. The maximum tidal range in Sunderbans is approximately 5 m with an average tidal range of 2.97 m. The identified economic tidal power potential in India is of the order of 8000-9000 MW with about 7000 MW in the Gulf of Cambay about 1200 MW in the Gulf of Kachchh and less than 100 MW in Sundarbans.

The country’s first tidal power generation project is coming up at Durgaduani Creek of the Sundarbans. National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) and West Bengal Renewable Energy.

Development Agency (WBREDA) will jointly set up India’s first tidal power plant on Durgaduani Creek in the Sunderbans at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore. The project is expected to be commissioned by 2010.

The project comprises two barrages to be built across the upstream and downstream ends of the Durgaduani creek which runs between the Gosaba and Bali-Bijoynagar islands and connects Bidyadhari and Gomti rivers.

France is currently the only country that has significantly harnessed tidal energy and has the largest tidal power station in the world. Built in 1966, the La Ranee tidal power station of Electricite de France (EdF) in Mont Saint Michel (northern France) has a generating capacity of 240 MW. It has 24 bulb-type turbines, each of 10 MW rating. The Severn Barrage is a proposed tidal power station to be built across the Bristol Channel (Severn Estuary) in UK.

The River Severn has a tidal range of 14m, making it perfect for tidal power generation. The Severn Barrage would involve the construction of a 16-km long barrage between Lavernock Point (Wales) and Brean Down (England). A total of 214 turbines each of 40 MW would be built into the barrage, making it a colossal of power plant of 8,560 MW of installed capacity with an average annual generation of 17 GWh.

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Tidal Energy: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Future Trends

Tidal energy is a growing renewable, clean, and environmentally friendly energy source that produces far fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Moreover, its high predictability and elevated power output are also among the advantages of tidal energy. In this article, we examine what tidal energy is, its advantages and disadvantages as well as the future trends of this still unpopular but highly promising renewable energy source.

What Is Tidal Energy And How Does it Work?

Tidal energy is a form of power produced by the natural rise and fall of tides caused by the gravitational interaction between Earth, the sun, and the moon. The potential or kinetic energy of tide movement is captured and converted into electricity. This energy is renewable , derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than consumed, creating far less greenhouse gas emissions than burning fossil fuels. The global potential for tidal energy is huge, estimated to be around 500 gigawatts in 2020, equivalent to about one-fourth of the world’s coal capacity at that time.

3 Tidal Energy Technologies

Tidal energy technology can be classified into three types: tidal range, tidal current, and hybrid forms technologies.

1. Tidal Range Technologies

Tidal range technologies make use of the potential energy in the difference in height between high and low tides.

Tidal barrage makes use of tidal range technologies. Similar to dams or barriers, the barrage is constructed to hold a large body of water. The difference between the water height inside and outside the enclosed area will then cause water to flow from one side to the other, letting the water flow through the turbines inside the barrage, thus generating electricity. Annapolis Royal Generating Station in Canada is a power plant that used tidal barrage.

Tidal lagoons are very much like tidal barrages, except that they are not necessarily

connected to the shore and can sit within the ocean. The environmental impacts brought by the lagoons are far less than those of tidal barrages, making them an encouraged alternative to the latter. Other newly developed tidal range technologies include tidal reefs, tidal fences, and low-head tidal barrages.

2. Tidal Current Technologies

Tidal current technologies – or tidal stream technologies – make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, similar to how wind turbines are moved by air. Due to its relatively low cost and limited ecological impact, this method has become more prevalent compared to tidal range technologies.

Horizontal- and vertical-axis turbines are an example of this type of technologies. The rotors of the turbine are turned by tidal currents, oriented either horizontally or vertically. Tidal kite, best used in slower tidal flows area, is also a common tidal current technology. The kite is tethered to the seabed, flying through the water with a turbine attached below its wing to generate power from motion. With up to 398 megawatts of generation capacity, the MeyGen Tidal Energy project in Scotland is expected to be the largest tidal generating station with tidal current technologies.

3. Hybrid Forms Technologies

Hybrid forms make use of both tidal current and tidal range technologies for electricity generation. Dynamic Tidal Power (DTP) is a recent development in these technologies. A long dam is constructed perpendicular to the coastline, with a barrier built at the end of the dam. DTP makes use of the height difference to create potential energy, while also using turbines to generate electricity.

Figure 1: How tidal power generators capture energy from the natural ebb and flow of the oceans

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Now that we know how energy is generated from tidal current and range, let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of tidal energy to see if it is an ideal and feasible renewable source.

Advantages of Tidal Energy

High predictability.

Unlike wind and solar energy – which are subject to the variability and uncertainty of atmospheric forcing – tidal energy is much more predictable and reliable. Low tide and high tide cycles are easy to forecast and rarely experience unanticipated variation. Long-term and accurate predictions of tidal currents can even be made hundreds of years in advance. In addition, tidal range is hardly influenced by weather conditions .

While tidal currents may be slightly more subjected to the impact of weather, the fluctuations are still low and steady relative to wind and solar energy. The UK had experienced a sharp decrease in wind energy in the past. As a result, wind power generated from UK wind farms fell from more than 6,000 millivolts to less than 500 millivolts within 9 days.

“Variations in wind patterns, weather, and turbulence make it inherently challenging to predict (wind farms’ electricity generation) across different time scales,” said Michael Howland , Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT, who studies the physics of the Earth’s atmosphere and renewable energy generation systems. “Tidal patterns” – he added – “are well-known and well-understood. That’s a clear incentive for using [this type of] power”.

High Power Output and Space Saving

As water is about 830 times denser than air , tidal devices capture more energy than their wind counterparts. This also implies that tidal energy is able to generate more energy per unit area than winds, taking up far less space than both solar and wind energy.

Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant in South Korea – the largest tidal power station in the world – consists of a seawall that spans 12.7 kilometres. Contrarily, wind turbines and solar panels usually require more space. For example, the Roscoe wind farm in Texas takes up 400 square kilometres of land, while Indiana’s Fowler Ridge wind project, despite being a smaller wind farm, also takes up about 200 square kilometres. Solar power faces the same issue, with the Bhadla Industrial Solar Park in India spreading across 45 square kilometres.

Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

High construction and maintenance cost.

The average commercial tidal energy project costs as high as US$280 per megawatt hour, while wind energy only costs roughly US$20 per megawatt hour, according to a 2019 study from the US Department of Energy . The expensive cost of tidal power comes from the high upfront costs of building plants as well as from expenses associated with maintaining machinery that can survive corrosive seawater and engineering work. What’s more, the generating cost of other more mature renewable energy, including wind and solar power, while the costs of tidal, being a far less widespread renewable energy source, are still relatively high.

Currently, there are no plans to developed supply chains and expand this technology. Hence, costs of tidal energy are expected to remain high. More technological research is needed to identify new methods that can lower the cost.

Geographical Limitations

Locations that are suitable for tidal systems are limited. Tidal energy power plants can only operate along the coastline. Tidal turbines cannot be installed in shallow water with waves-caused turbulence, nor can they be placed in deep water with a lack of current velocity.

Tidal range technologies will require a large tidal range – preferably about 3.05 meters , while for tidal current technologies, a stream speed of at least 1.5 to 2 meters per second is needed. Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, France, alongside Easter Africa, are found to have very high tidal ranges . Although only limited studies are conducted on tidal current technologies, it is found that Australia, Spain, Africa, and Norway have the potential to develop tidal current technologies.

Figure 2: World map of average tidal range

Environmental Impacts: Advantage or Disadvantage?

Tidal energy has both advantages and disadvantages to the environment and the overall effect on the ecosystem is still ambivalent, although this very much depends on the power plant site.

The construction of tidal power plants may pose threat to the environment. Underwater structures of the power plant may change the ambient flow field and water quality, harming the habitats of marine life. Rotating turbine blades are very likely to hurt sea creatures. Animal navigation and communication are also badly disturbed by the underwater noise produced by the turbines. Located in Canada, Annapolis Royal Generating Station has been shut down by the local authority last year due to the serious harm posed to fish.

On the other hand, tidal power plants may be beneficial to the environment. Altering of gradient that benefits aquatic ecology is found after the construction of power plants; an increase in oxygen content is often observed, indicating an improvement in water quality.

Both pros and cons brought to the ecology by tidal power can be observed in the two following examples of tidal power stations: Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station and La Rance Tidal Power Station.

Examples of Tidal Power Station

Sihwa lake tidal power station.

Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station, located in South Korea, is the world’s largest tidal power station with an installed capacity of 254 megawatts. The plant, which uses tidal barrage, is able to produce 552.7 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, equivalent to 862,000 barrels of oil, and 315,000 tons of carbon dioxide, enough to support the domestic needs of a city with a population of 500,000. The power station cost a total of US$560 million, making it the world’s most expensive tidal installation to date.

The continuous circulation of water between the lake near the plant and the outer sea during the power generation process has improved the water quality. In 1998, the chemical oxygen level in Sihwa Lake was 17 parts per million but has since been reduced to 2 parts per million, indicating an enhancement in water quality. The circulation of the lake water also created a new mud flat upstream, providing new shelters for various organisms.

La Rance Tidal Power Station

With an installed capacity of 240 megawatts, just a bit behind the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station, La Rance Tidal Power Station is the second-largest and also the first tidal power station in the world. This French power plant also relies on tidal barrage, producing an annual output of approximately 600 gigawatt hours of electricity, enough to power 130,000 houses.

During the three-years construction phase of the power plant, marine flora and fauna in the Rance Basin, located near the power station, disappeared due to heavy sedimentation and accumulation of organic matter in the basin. The ecosystem remained fragile for a decade after construction was completed. Not until 1976 was Rance Basin considered richly diversified again, with new biological equilibrium and flourished aquatic life found.

The Future of Tidal Energy

More and more tidal power plant projects are in the pipeline. The Morlais project , initiated in Wales, Britain, proposed to install turbines at what will be one of the largest tidal stream energy sites in the world, covering 13 square miles of the seabed. The project is expected to power 180,000 homes when fully operational. Other future tidal power plants include Incheon Tidal Power Station in South Korea and Penzhinskaya Tidal Power Plant in Russia.

More research on tidal technologies is needed to overcome its geographical limitation, high expense, as well as its ecological impacts. The marine energy sector in the UK is provided with US$213 million in fundings for innovation and research. US$24 million of budget are also provided to further develop tidal stream energy. Funding for technological research is crucial in overcoming existing constraints and limitations.

All in all, renewable energy will continue to be a hot topic with its increasing importance in the energy sector. While many of these clean energy are still in the development stage, there is no doubt that the only way we have to lower our emissions of greenhouse gases and reverse climate change is by transition to societies fully powered by renewable energy.

Featured image by Juergen Adolph (CC BY 2.0)

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Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is a form of renewable energy which is created by converting energy from tides into electricity using various methods. Tides are more predictable than the wind and therefore the sun. Although tidal energy is renewable energy, it has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited availability of web sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability. However, many recent technological developments and enhancements, both in design and turbine technology indicate that the entire availability of tidal power could also be much above previously assumed which economic and environmental costs could also be brought down to competitive levels.

The Rance Tidal power plant in France is the world’s first large-scale tidal energy station. It became operational in 1966. It was the most important tidal power plant in terms of output until Sihwa Lake Tidal power plant opened in South Korea in August 2011.

Tidal energy

The Principle behind Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is generated from the Earth’s oceanic tides. These tidal waves are the forces which form due to gravitational attraction exerted by celestial bodies. These forces create corresponding motions or currents within the world’s oceans.

Due to the strong attraction to the oceans, a bulge within the water level is made, causing a short-lived increase in water level. Now due to Earth’s rotation, this huge volume of ocean water meets the shallow water adjacent to the shoreline and creates a tide. This natural phenomenon is repetitive and takes place in an unfailing manner, due to the consistent rotation of the moon’s orbit around the earth.

A tidal generator is required to convert the energy of tidal flows into electricity. The potential of a site for tidal electricity generation is directly proportional to greater tidal variation and better tidal flow velocities. These together can dramatically increase the tidal energy generation. As we know that Earth’s tides take place due to the gravitational force of Earth with the Moon and Sun, so the tidal energy is practically inexhaustible and classified as a renewable energy resource. Movement of tides causes a loss of energy within the Earth-Moon system.

Methods of Generation of Tidal Energy

Tidal energy formation is often classified into four generating methods:

A) Tidal Stream Generator

Tidal stream generators make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to wind turbines that use the wind to power turbines. Sometimes existing bridges are used to built tidal generators or some are entirely submersed, thus avoiding concerns over the impact on the natural landscape.

B) Dynamic Tidal Power

Dynamic tidal power (or DTP) may be a theoretical technology that might exploit an interaction between potential and kinetic energies in tidal flows. It proposes that very long dams (for example, 30–50 km length) be built from coasts straight out into the ocean or ocean, without enclosing a neighbourhood.

C) Tidal Barrage

Tidal barrages make use of the potential energy in the difference in height (or hydraulic head) between high and low tides. When the ocean level rises and therefore the tide begins to return in, the temporary increase in tidal power is channelled into an outsized basin behind the dam, holding a large amount of potential energy. With the receding tide, this energy is then converted into energy.

D) Tidal Lagoon

A new tidal energy design option is to construct circular retaining walls embedded with turbines that can capture the potential energy of tides. The created reservoirs are almost like those of tidal barrages, except that the situation is artificial and doesn’t contain a pre-existing ecosystem.

Rance Tidal Power Plant in France

In 1966, Électricité de France opened the Rance Tidal power plant, located on the estuary of the Rance River in Brittany. It was the world’s first tidal power station. For the long 45 years in history, this plant remained the most important tidal power plant within the world by installed capacity. It has 24 turbines with a reach peak output of 240 megawatts (MW) and average 57 MW, a capacity factor of approximately 24%.

Tidal Power Development in the UK

The world’s first marine energy test facility was established in 2003 to start out the event of the wave and tidal energy industry within the UK. The ECU Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) located in Orkney, Scotland, has supported the deployment of more wave and tidal energy devices than at the other single site within the world. EMEC provides a spread of test sites in real sea conditions.

Tidal Energy Project in India

India has reportedly decided to not proceed with the proposed tidal power station developments in states of Gujarat and West Bengal. The reason behind it was financial challenges in the implementation of those projects. Based on the studies, there’s an estimated potential of about 8000 MW of tidal energy, with 7,000 MW within the Gulf of Khambhat, 1,200 MW within the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and about 100 MW within the Gangetic delta in Sunderbans in West Bengal.

Prominent Tidal Energy Power Stations of the world

The first tidal power plant of the planet became operational in 1966, La Rance in France. It has an installed capacity of 240 MW and is additionally the second largest tidal plant within the world. Sihwa Lake tidal power plant in South Korea is that the world largest tidal power plant with an installed capacity of 254 MW, came up in 2011. Annapolis Royal generating station, Nova Scotia, is the first tidal power site in North America. It opened in 1984 on an inlet of the Bay of Fundy. It has 20 MW installed capacity.

Issues and Challenges

A) environmental challenges.

Tidal energy has some adverse effects on marine life. The rotating blades of the turbine are very dangerous. It can accidentally kill swimming sea life, although projects like the one in Strangford feature a security mechanism that turns off the turbine when marine animals approach. However, this feature causes a serious loss in energy due to the quantity of marine life that passes through the turbines. This environmental factor is divided into 3 parts.

1) Tidal Turbines

In tidal turbines, the primary concern regarding tidal energy harness is the blade strike and entanglement of marine organisms. As high-speed water increases the risk of marine lives being pushed near or through these devices.

2) Tidal Barrage

Making of a barrage may change the shoreline within the bay or estuary, affecting a large ecosystem that depends on tidal flats. Inhibiting the flow of water in and out of the bay may cause additional turbidity and less saltwater. It can end in the death of fish that act as a vital food source to birds and mammals.

3) Tidal Lagoon

Usually the risk associated with tidal lagoon is blade strike on fish attempting to enter the lagoon, the acoustic output from turbines, and changes in sedimentation processes.

B) Corrosion

Saltwater causes corrosion in metal parts. It is often difficult to take care of tidal river generators thanks to their size and depth within the water. Corrosion may cause mechanical fluids, such as lubricants leak out, which may be harmful to the marine life nearby.

Tidal Energy requires an expensive initial setup. Its high cost is one of the reasons that tidal energy is not a popular source of renewable energy.

FAQs about Tidal energy

Q.1. Which type of turbine is commonly in use in tidal energy?

Answer – The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type reaction turbine. It is usually immersed completely in the fluid it derives energy from.

Q.2. Is tidal energy expensive?

Answer – Any subsea equipment needed to harness tidal energy is going to be expensive. Also, it tends to drive building costs to be anywhere between 3 to 15 million dollars and sometimes more.

Q.3. How efficient is tidal energy?

Answer – Tidal energy is 80% efficient when it comes to converting water energy into electricity.

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Tidal Lagoons: The Most Feasible Source of Tidal Energy

Jp cannistraro may 14, 2017, submitted as coursework for ph240 , stanford university, fall 2016, introduction.

Onehunga Lagoon, Auckland New Zealand. (Source: )

Tidal energy is growing in popularity as a utilized energy source. Tidal energy harnesses the power of nature in the way wind turbines do, using movement to create electricity. Caused by the "gravitational pull of the sun and moon, leading sea levels to rise and fall reliably," tidal energy relies on Earth's most abundant resource: water. [1] Water is significantly denser than air, almost 1000 times denser, giving it the potential to produce much more energy per single turbine. [2]

As great as tidal energy sounds, there are a number of problems that have kept the total number of tidal plants in the world low. The potential for negative environmental impact depends on where the plant is built, but almost every tidal plant disturbs ecosystems. Dredging and construction alone bother the sea floor, and the existence of turbines can affect sea life. [1] It is possible to limit environmental impact by selectively choosing the location of a plant, as well as exploring the different ways one can harness tidal power. Currently there are three ways to access tidal energy: streams, barrages, and lagoons. Each way comes with positives and negatives. But tidal lagoons are the most sensible option because of their feasibility and limited environmental damage potential. [1] Fig. 1 shows a picture of the Onehunga Lagoon in Auckland New Zealand.

Barrages and Streams

Tidal barrages have the greatest potential energy output. Functioning similarly to a dam, a tidal barrage is built across a river estuary, allowing water to flow through tunnels in the dam as the tide goes in and out. This flow of water powers turbines, which then create electricity. [3] Barrages allow the operator to control the flow of water, and also utilize the tunneling technique to maximize power output. Both of these features make a barrage an attractive energy option. But these small dams have a large environmental impact. The construction of a barrage completely changes the landscape of the sea floor, creates a harmful change in water level, dangerously decreases salinity, and stops migration of fish. [1] For these reasons, barrages are not a very suitable option for tidal energy.

Tidal streams utilize much smaller bodies of water than barrages and do not require the construction of a dam. When placing turbines at sections of a stream with high flow rates, one can harness powerful tidal energy. Streams have extremely fast currents and varying water levels, giving them a high capacity to produce electricity. Another important characteristic of a stream is that the horizontal speeds of the current exist at an almost identical rate throughout the entire depth of the water. [4] This allows for flexibility when placing a turbine, since flow rate will be the same at any depth of the stream.

Tidal streams, however, are still not the best option for tidal energy. While the nature of a stream allows for some placement flexibility, streams are often high-traffic bodies of water for both sea life and ships. [1] Any stream large enough to produce sufficient energy would also contain a lot of sea life. Placing turbines in these areas can kill sea creatures and disrupt migration patterns. Utilizing tidal streams is less harmful than building barrages, but the energy output is not as powerful and the number of viable sites is limited.

	Lagoon	Barrage	Advantage
Capacity	4.50 GW	8.64 GW	Barrage
Capacity Factor	61%	26%	Lagoon
Energy Generated	24 TWh per year	18 TWh per year	Lagoon
Generation Cost	2.5 pence per kWh	6.6 pence per kWh	Lagoon
Emissions Avoided	5.1 mtC per year	6.5 mtC per year	Lagoon

A Closer Look at Tidal Lagoons

A lagoon is a body of water partly enclosed by any barrier. [1] By placing tidal generators at the entrance of a lagoon, one can harness the energy provided by the change in depth. Lagoons operate similarly to barrages but present fewer environmental complications. Lagoons can easily be constructed out of natural materials and are built along the coastline. Barriers would keep out sea creatures too large to swim into the lagoon, while the smaller animals would be able to enter and exit easily. [1] Since the water levels in lagoons are constantly changing, the turbines would be constantly generating electricity. The biggest drawback of a lagoon is its relatively limited potential to produce energy based off of a relatively slow flow rate.

A closer look at the data, however, suggests that this analysis is too simplistic. A study done by Friends of the Earth (FOE), an organization dedicated to limiting mankind's impact on the environment, explains that every metric ton of material used in the creation of a tidal lagoon would produce three times as much energy as a metric ton of coal. [3] FOE also projects a number of other factors that lean heavily in the favor of lagoons as being the best possible tidal energy source. Table 1 summarizes the main results of their study, which explored the potential impact of a building a barrage versus multiple lagoons in the Severn Estuary.

In contrast to turbines placed in tidal streams, lagoons will not impede shipping. When compared to both barrages and streams, lagoons have a significantly smaller environmental impact. As Table 1 shows, lagoons generate 24/18 or 1.33 times as much power as barrages. Even though barrages have a much higher capacity to generate electricity, they do not operate at their full capacity nearly as much as lagoons could. This is made clear by the 35 percent capacity factor difference between the two. Lagoons eliminate more emissions at cheaper cost.

As interest grows in tidal energy as a renewable energy source, more information about its feasibility will be discovered. When looking at specific types of tidal energy, it appears that energy harnessed from lagoons is the most feasible and ethical option. The affect on sea life is minimal, the technical feasibility exceeds that of streams, and the projected output exceeds that of barrages.

© J. P. Cannistraro. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.

[1] B. Handwerk, " Five Striking Concepts for Harnessing the Sea's Power ", National Geographic, 21 Feb 14.

[2] M. Kadiri et al. , "A Review of the Potential Water Quality Impacts of Tidal Renewable Energy Systems ," Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 16 , 329 (2012).

[3] N. Crompton, " A Severn Barrage or Tidal Lagoons? ", Friends of the Earth, January 2004.

[4] R. E. Thompson, Oceanography of the British Columbia Coast ," Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 1981, p. 45.

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Tidal Energy

Last updated on August 13, 2023 by ClearIAS Team

Although it’s been debated for decades, the topic of tidal energy has dominated the headlines of late. What is it, what benefits does it offer and what’s the potential for its future use? Where does India’s Tidal energy potential lie? Read the article to know more about tidal power.

India has a coastline of approximately 7,500 kilometers and experiences significant tidal variations, making it a potential candidate for harnessing tidal energy. While tidal energy is in its early stages of development in India, there have been efforts to explore its potential as a renewable energy source.

The energy from nature- the sun, the wind, waves, tides, etc. can be converted into a usable form. We can make use of the energy from tides as a source of renewable energy.

How is tidal energy potential distributed?

How can we convert tidal energy into power?

Table of Contents

What is Tidal Energy?

Tidal energy is produced by the gravitational interaction of the Earth, the sun, and the moon, which causes the tides to rise and fall naturally.

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Tidal waters can be used to make electricity by forming a reservoir or basin behind a barrage and then sending them through turbines in the barrier.
Tidal energy is formed by the movement of tides and seas, and the intensity of the water from the rise and fall of waves is a type of kinetic energy.
A tidal generator converts the energy of tidal flows into power.
It is gravitational hydropower that creates electricity by using the movement of water to propel a turbine.

Tidal power is a form of renewable energy that harnesses the kinetic and potential energy of ocean tides to generate electricity.

How does Tidal Energy generate power?

Tides are caused by the gravitational interactions between the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun, resulting in the rise and fall of water levels in oceans and seas. Tidal energy is generated by capturing the movement of water during these tidal cycles.

Oceanic tides are used to generate electricity by building floodgate dams across sea/ocean inlets.
During high tide, water flows into the inlet and is trapped when the gate is closed.
The floodgate’s retained water is piped back to the sea.
After the tide falls outside the floodgate, this water is sent via a turbine that generates electricity.

Methods of Harnessing Tidal Energy

There are two main methods of harnessing tidal power:

Tidal Stream Generator

Tidal stream generators, like wind turbines, utilize the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines.

These turbines are placed on the seabed in areas with strong tidal currents. As the tides flow in and out, the movement of water causes the turbines to rotate, generating electricity. Tidal stream systems can be installed in areas such as tidal channels, straits, and estuaries.

Some tidal generators can be fitted into existing bridge constructions or be fully buried.
High velocities can be generated at specific sites by land constrictions such as straits or inlets, which can be captured using turbines.
Horizontal, vertical, open, and ducted turbines are all available.

Tidal Barrage

Tidal range systems like tidal barrages and tidal lagoons take advantage of the potential energy difference between high and low tides.

Tidal barrages generate potential energy by utilizing the difference in height (or hydraulic head) between high and low tides. Tidal barrages are large dams or barriers built across the entrance of an estuary or bay. Sluice gates and turbines are used to control the flow of water through the barrage, allowing water to flow in during high tide and releasing it during low tide to generate electricity.

When using tidal barrages to create power, the potential energy from a tide is captured by constructing specialized dams.
When the water level rises and the tide begins to come in, the momentary spike in tidal power is diverted into a wide basin behind the dam, which retains a large amount of potential energy.
As the tide recedes, this energy is converted to mechanical energy as the water is released via massive turbines that generate electrical power through generators. Barrages are like dams that run the length of a tidal estuary.

Tidal Lagoon

Tidal lagoons are similar to barrages but are constructed within a bay, creating an enclosed area with a tidal range.

A modern tidal energy design idea is to build circular retaining walls outfitted with turbines that can catch the potential energy of tides.
The reservoirs built are similar to tidal barrages, but the area is artificial and there is no pre-existing ecology.

Advantages of Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is a renewable resource, as tides are caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun, which are predictable and consistent.

As technology progresses, tidal energy will become more economical and efficient.
These systems typically have lower environmental impacts compared to fossil fuel-based power generation. They do not produce greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants.
It defends against coastal floods because of its stability under varied design situations.
Tidal lagoons can absorb storm surges and waves once every 500 years.
Tidal power equipment and infrastructure have a significantly longer lifespan and are less expensive than other renewable technologies.

Limitations

The construction of tidal power facilities is now more expensive, because of the significant capital needs.
Tidal barrages can impact local ecosystems by altering water flow and sediment distribution. They can also affect fish migration patterns.
The main environmental issues are the impacts of blades on fish seeking to enter the lagoon, auditory output from turbines, changes in sedimentation processes, and habitat alteration.
Maintenance and repair of equipment can be complex.
Energy demand is restricted. Powerful tides only occur on average for 10 hours per day, tidal energy storage capacity must be built.
It is challenging to offer tidal energy to coastal areas since the energy of the tides is typically a long distance from where the electricity would be needed inland.

Tidal Energy Potential in India

India’s coastline has several locations with strong tidal currents and significant tidal ranges, particularly in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambhat) in Gujarat and the Gulf of Kutch. These areas have been identified as having the highest tidal energy potential in the country.

The tidal cycle is caused by the moon’s gravitational influence and occurs every 12 hours.
The difference in water height between low and high tide is referred to as “potential energy.”
To capture enough power from the tidal energy potential, the high tide must be at least five meters (16 feet) higher than the low tide.

Only around 20 areas on the earth get such high tides. India is one of them. On the west coast of Gujarat, the Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutch have maximum tidal ranges of 11m and 8m, respectively, with average tidal ranges of 6.77m and 5.23m.

Research and development activities related to tidal energy are ongoing in various institutions and organizations in India. These activities focus on turbine design, deployment strategies, environmental impact assessments, and resource assessments.

Government Initiatives

India has collaborated with countries such as France and the United Kingdom to share knowledge and expertise in the field of tidal energy. These collaborations aim to accelerate technological advancements and project implementation.

The Gujarat government inked an agreement in 2011 with Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL), Atlantis Resource Corporation (UK), and Power Monitoring Expert Systems, Singapore to build a 250 MW tidal power plant in the Gulf of Kutch.
The first phase of a 50 MW tidal power plant in Mandavi in the Kutch area has commenced.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) sanctioned a demonstration project in 2008 to develop a 3.75 MW tidal power plant in Durgaduani Creek in the Sunderbans of West Bengal, but it never saw the light of day.

It’s been only 40 years since India began attempts to study and harness tidal energy. A legislative commission has now asked the Indian government to reconsider the potential of tidal power in India. It also asked to explore the realistically exploitable potential, do additional research in the sector, and build a tidal power pilot project.

India commenced construction on two tidal power facilities in West Bengal and Gujarat, with an installed capacity of 3.75 and 50 megawatts, respectively, in 2007 and 2011. Both of these initiatives, however, were put on hold due to high expenses.

Exorbitant prices and environmental dangers are two primary reasons why India has yet to establish tidal power facilities.
Tidal energy projects need to be developed carefully to minimize their impact on marine ecosystems and local communities. Environmental impact assessments play a crucial role in ensuring sustainable project development.
Tidal power is not being pursued on a worldwide scale due to a variety of constraints.

Way forward

Although tidal energy offers more significant potential than wave or offshore wind energy, only a few locations are suitable for tidal stream energy extraction.

Tidal stream energy extraction technology is still in its infancy. It has immense potential to become a significant element of a site’s future energy mix. Tidal barrages and other technologies have been investigated to better understand how to harness ocean energy. Tidal energy, while not yet a popular commercial energy source, has the potential to be employed as a commercial renewable energy source.

The sector has the potential to expand, boosting economic growth, lowering carbon footprints, and creating jobs not only along the coasts but also inland along supply networks. It is more relevant now because India has vowed to cut its emission intensity by 33 to 35 percent compared to 2005, by 2030.

Article Written By: Atheena Fathima Riyas

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Harnessing the Power of Tides: how Tidal Turbines Generate Electricity

This essay is about how tidal energy generates electricity using tidal turbines. It explains that tidal energy is derived from the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, causing predictable tidal movements. Tidal turbines convert the kinetic energy of these tidal flows into electrical power. The essay discusses the benefits of tidal energy, such as its reliability and efficiency, and describes two main types of tidal systems: tidal stream and tidal range. It also addresses the challenges of tidal energy development, including high installation costs and environmental concerns, while noting technological advancements that mitigate these issues. The potential for tidal energy to contribute significantly to renewable energy solutions is highlighted.

How it works

Tidal power, a manifestation of hydrodynamic potential sourced from the undulations of the ocean, emerges as an increasingly pivotal entity in the realm of sustainable energy. This renewable reservoir is tapped into through the utilization of tidal turbines, which transmute the kinetic momentum of tidal movements into electrical potential. Comprehending the mechanics and merits of tidal power necessitates an inquiry into the metamorphosis of these natural aqueous motions into a steadfast power outlet.

The principal impetus propelling tidal power is the gravitational attraction wielded by the moon and, to a lesser extent, the sun.

As these celestial entities interact with the Earth, they instigate tidal forces inducing the rhythmic ascent and descent of sea levels. This occurrence begets tidal currents, exploitable for energy production. Tidal turbines, resembling subaquatic analogues of wind turbines, are strategically positioned in locales characterized by robust tidal fluxes, such as estuaries and littoral zones. As the tides surge and recede, they exert force upon the turbine blades, eliciting rotation and electrical generation.

A salient advantage of tidal energy lies in its prognostic reliability. Unlike wind or solar power, susceptible to fluctuation and climatic exigencies, tidal oscillations exhibit constancy and can be projected with precision years in advance. This dependability renders tidal energy a steadfast and trustworthy source of sustainable power. Moreover, owing to the density of water—approximately 800 times greater than that of air—tidal turbines are capable of yielding substantial energy outputs even amidst moderate flow velocities. This efficacy renders tidal power notably appealing for locales endowed with conducive tidal conditions.

Tidal power systems predominantly manifest in two variants: tidal stream systems and tidal range systems. Tidal stream systems harness the kinetic energy inherent in water motion, akin to the modus operandi of wind turbines with air currents. Typically, these systems comprise arrays of turbines situated in swiftly flowing tidal conduits or littoral waters. As water courses past, it impels turbine rotation, thereby engendering electricity. Conversely, tidal range systems exploit the potential energy differential between high and low tides. These systems frequently entail the erection of a barrage or dam across an estuarine inlet. During high tide, water is permitted ingress into a reservoir. Upon ebb tide, the stored water is discharged through turbines, facilitating electricity generation.

Despite its promise, the journey of tidal energy confronts sundry impediments. The installation and upkeep of tidal turbines entail intricacy and expense owing to their subaqueous locale. Environmental considerations likewise loom large, as the erection and operation of tidal energy infrastructures can exert ramifications upon marine ecosystems. For instance, tidal barrages may precipitate alterations in sediment patterns and impinge upon the habitats of aquatic fauna. Mitigating these repercussions mandates meticulous planning and the adoption of ecologically attuned designs.

Technological strides are instrumental in surmounting some of these hurdles. Innovations in turbine architecture, such as floating and oscillating systems, augment the efficiency and diminish the intrusive footprint of tidal energy. Floating turbines, for instance, can be moored to the seabed sans the exigency for extensive subaqueous construction, thereby curtailing costs and ecological disturbance. Furthermore, ongoing inquiries into the ecological repercussions of tidal energy inform enhanced practices and regulatory paradigms to ensure sustainable progression.

The latent potential of tidal energy looms expansive, particularly for nations endowed with extensive coastlines and vigorous tidal fluxes. Noteworthy examples encompass the United Kingdom and Canada, spearheading the vanguard of tidal energy development, with numerous projects already operational or in progress. These nations acknowledge the pivotal role that tidal power can play in ameliorating reliance on fossil fuels and fostering energy security.

In summation, tidal energy capitalizes upon the kinetic energy of aqueous motion to engender electricity through the instrumentality of tidal turbines. Propelled by the gravitational influences of the moon and sun, tidal currents furnish a foreseeable and dependable font of renewable energy. While hurdles such as installation costs and environmental impacts necessitate surmounting, technological advancements are progressively rendering tidal energy a more viable alternative. As the quest for sustainable energy solutions persists, the harnessing of tidal power emerges as a promising and enduring contribution to the renewable energy tapestry.

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Harnessing the Power of Tides: How Tidal Turbines Generate Electricity. (2024, May 28). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/harnessing-the-power-of-tides-how-tidal-turbines-generate-electricity/

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PapersOwl.com. (2024). Harnessing the Power of Tides: How Tidal Turbines Generate Electricity . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/harnessing-the-power-of-tides-how-tidal-turbines-generate-electricity/ [Accessed: 14 Aug. 2024]

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Tidal Energy

An Introduction to Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides into useful forms of power, similar to electricity. Tides are created by the gravitational effect of the moon and the sun on the earth causing cyclical movement of the swell. One of the strengths of employing power from tidal ranges and tidal aqueducts over other forms of renewable energy is that the process is entirely predictable.

(Image Will be Updated Soon)

Tidal range technologies make use of the perpendicular difference in height between high drift and low drift. Systems take the form of tidal drum fires or lagoons that use turbines in the hedge or lagoon to induce electricity as the drift cataracts into a force. When the drift outside the hedge recedes, the water retained can also be released through turbines, which generate electricity.

Tidal sluice creators draw energy from water currents in an analogous way to wind turbines drawing energy from air currents. Still, because water is 832 times further thick than air, the eventuality for power generation by an individual tidal turbine can be lesser than that of also rated wind energy turbines.

Tidal energy is a form of renewable energy which is created by converting energy from tides into electricity using colorful styles. tides are more predictable than the wind and thus the sun. Although tidal energy is renewable energy, it has traditionally suffered from fairly high cost and limited vacuity of web spots with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow rapidity, therefore constricting its total vacuity. Still, numerous recent technological developments and advancements, both in design and turbine technology indicate that the entire vacuity of tidal power could also be important above preliminarily assumed which profitable and environmental costs could also be brought down to competitive situations.

The Rance Tidal power factory in France is the world’s first large-scale tidal energy station. It became functional in 1966. It was the most important tidal power factory in terms of affairs until the Sihwa Lake Tidal power factory opened in South Korea in August 2011.

The Principle behind Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is generated from the Earth’s oceanic tides. These tidal swells are the forces that form due to gravitational magnets wielded by elysian bodies. These forces produce corresponding movements or currents within the world’s abysses.

Due to the strong magnet to the abysses, a bulge within the water position is made, causing a short-lived increase in-water position. Now due to Earth’s gyration, this huge volume of ocean water meets the shallow water conterminous to the oceanfront and creates a drift. This natural miracle is repetitious and takes place in an unerring manner, due to the harmonious gyration of the moon’s route around the earth.

A tidal creator is needed to convert the energy of tidal overflows into electricity. The eventuality of a point for tidal electricity generation is directly commensurable to lesser tidal variation and better tidal inflow rapidity. These together can dramatically increase tidal energy generation. As we know Earth’s tides take place due to the gravitational force of Earth with the Moon and Sun, so the tidal energy is virtually indefatigable and classified as a renewable energy resource. The movement of tides causes a loss of energy within the Earth-Moon system.

Uses of Tidal Energy

Tidal Energy is a renewable source of energy like Solar, Geothermal, and Wind energy. Here are some of the uses of Tidal Energy.

Tidal Electricity

The most important use of tidal energy is the generation of Electricity, called Tidal Electricity. The electric power generated from the tides is reliable as tides are predictable and uniform in nature.

Grain Mills

Tidal Energy has been in use for hundreds of years. Just like the Wind Mills, Tidal Energy was used for the mechanical crushing of grains in grain mills. To crush grains. Here, the movement of the turbines powered by tidal energy was used.

Energy Storage

Tidal Energy is also used to store energy in hydroelectric dams, which act as large energy storage. Tidal Barrages and reservoirs can be modified to store energy.

Provide Protection to Coast During High Storms

Tidal Barrages are capable to prevent damage to the coast during high storms. They also serve to create easy transport between the two arms of an estuary or a bay.

Tidal Energy Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of tidal energy.

Renewable: Tidal energy is a renewable source of energy. It is generated by the combined effects of the gravitational force of the moon and the sun and the rotation of the earth.

The power generation in tidal energy is possible due to the difference in the potential energies of the tides. Different kinds of power generators like stream generators, tidal barrages, and dynamic tidal power (DTP) use this.

Green: Tidal power is an environmentally friendly source of energy. It does not produce any harmful gas. One of the major benefits of tidal energy is that it utilizes a very small space for energy production.

Predictable: Tidal currents or waves are highly predictable. High and low tide develops with the ocean as per some renowned cycles. This makes it easier to develop a system with exact dimensions to produce energy, as we already have knowledge of what kind of waves the equipment will be exposed to.

This is the reason that the tidal stream generators are similar to that of wind turbines.

Effective at Low Speeds: It is possible to generate electric power at very low speeds because the density of water is much more than that of air. Power can also be generated at a water speed of about 1 m/s.

Tides are fluently predictable

Affordable to maintain

Reliable and renewable source of energy

High energy viscosity than other renewable energy forms

It produces no hothouse feasts or other waste

Vertical-axis turbines and coastal turbines are affordable to make and have a lower environmental impact

Tidal turbines are 80% effective, which is more advanced than solar or wind energy creators.

Drumfires reduce the damage of high tidal surges on the land.

Turbines inside the shower harness the power of tides the same way a swash levee harnesses the power of a swash. The shower gates are open as the drift rises. At high drift, the shower gates are near, creating a pool, or tidal lagoon. The water is also released through the shower’s turbines, creating energy at a rate that can be controlled by masterminds.

In the United States, there are legal enterprises about aquatic land power and environmental impact. Investors aren't enthusiastic about tidal energy because there's not a strong guarantee that it'll make plutocrats or benefit consumers. Masterminds are working to ameliorate the technology of tidal energy creators to increase the quantum of energy they produce, to drop their impact on the terrain, and to find a way to earn a profit for energy companies.

Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

Environmental Challenges: Tidal energy has some adverse effects on marine life. The rotating blades of the turbine are veritably dangerous. It can accidentally kill swimming ocean life, although systems like the one in Strangford feature a security medium that turns off the turbine when marine creatures approach.

Tidal Turbines: In tidal turbines, the primary concern regarding tidal energy harnesses is the blade strike and trap of marine organisms. As high-speed water increases the threat of marine lives being pushed near or through these biases.

Tidal Shower: Making a shower may change the oceanfront within the bay or creek, affecting a large ecosystem that depends on tidal apartments. Inhibiting the inflow of water in and out of the bay may beget fresh turbidity and lower saltwater. It can end in the death of fish that act as a vital food source to catcalls and mammals.

Tidal Lagoon: Generally, the threat associated with tidal lagoon is blade strike on fish trying to enter the lagoon, the aural affair from turbines, and changes in sedimentation processes.

Characteristics of Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is produced by the swelling of ocean waters during the rise and fall of tides. It may be a renewable source of energy.

During the 20th century, masterminds developed ways to use tidal movement to induce electricity in areas where there is a significant tidal range — the difference in area between high drift and low drift. All styles use special creators to convert tidal energy into electricity.

Tidal energy products are still in their immaturity. The quantum of power produced so far has, thus, been small. There are many marketable-sized tidal power shops operating in the world. The first was located in La Rance, France. The largest installation is the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station in South Korea.

The United States has no tidal shops and only many spots where tidal energy could be produced at a reasonable price. China, France, England, Canada, and Russia have far more implicit use of this sort of energy.

FAQs on Tidal Energy

1. What is wave energy?

Wave energy is the energy that is harnessed from oceanic waves. When the wind blows across the surface of the ocean, it creates waves in the sea. These waves created by wind are known as wind waves. Due to the absence of any landmass, the wind waves form most effectively over the water surface.

These waves are commonly seen on the surface of the ocean. They also occur in lakes, canals, and rivers and are called capillary waves, ripples, seas, or swells. No two wind waves are of the same height and width as waves differ from each other as far as their crests and troughs are known.

2. Difference between tidal energy and wave energy?

Tides and waves are formed due to different conditions. A few points to distinguish between tidal and wave energy is discussed here below:

Tides are caused due to the rise and fall of the oceanic water caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon on the earth, while waves are formed due to the moving wind across the ocean surface.

Tides are less noticeable, due to their smaller size, as compared to waves. Tides are normally seen on the shorelines, thus affecting the visibility of water and sand.

Waves are seen on the ocean surface, gradually rising and falling. Tidal power fluctuates on a daily basis, and wave power can be considered as a more sustained source of energy. The wave power is not widely used, because it has only fewer test sites in the world.

Current trends and prospects of tidal energy technology

Published: 06 October 2020
Volume 23 , pages 8179–8194, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

M. S. Chowdhury 1 , 4 ,
Kazi Sajedur Rahman 2 ,
Vidhya Selvanathan 2 ,
Narissara Nuthammachot 1 ,
Montri Suklueng 5 ,
Ali Mostafaeipour 7 , 8 ,
Asiful Habib 9 ,
Md. Akhtaruzzaman 2 ,
Nowshad Amin 3 &
Kuaanan Techato ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9178-8416 1 , 4 , 6

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Generation of energy across the world is today reliant majorly on fossil fuels. The burning of these fuels is growing in line with the increase in the demand for energy globally. Consequently, climate change, air contamination, and energy security issues are rising as well. An efficient alternative to this grave hazard is the speedy substitution of fossil fuel-based carbon energy sources with the shift to clean sources of renewable energy that cause zero emissions. This needs to happen in conjunction with the continuing increase in the overall consumption of energy worldwide. Many resources of renewable energy are available. These include thermal, solar photovoltaic, biomass and wind, tidal energy, hydropower, and geothermal. Notably, tidal energy exhibits great potential with regard to its dependability, superior energy density, certainty, and durability. The energy mined from the tides on the basis of steady and anticipated vertical movements of the water, causing tidal currents, could be converted into kinetic energy to produce electricity. Tidal barrages could channel mechanical energy, while tidewater river turbines can seize the energy from tidal currents. This study discusses the present trends, ecological effects, and the prospects for technology related to tidal energy.

The Feasibility of Tidal Energy in the United Arab Emirates

Current tidal power technologies and their suitability for applications in coastal and marine areas.

General Introduction to Geothermal Energy

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

The global demand for electrical energy has quickly risen in the modern times. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the share of demand accounted by electrical energy rose considerably during 1990–2017, with electrical energy accounting for around 40% of the total energy utilised in 1990 and that number being expected to rise to 50% in 2030 (Jeffrey 2017 ). The demand for energy worldwide is primarily met by fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal that accounted for 88.1% of the overall demand for energy in 2009 (oil 34.8%, coal 29.2%, and natural gas 24.1%) (Kadiri et al. 2012 ). In 2017, production of electricity from various other sources decreased: oil 32.0%, coal 27.1%, natural gas 22.2%, renewable energy 13.80%, and nuclear 4.9% (Fig. 1 ) (Newell et al. 2019 ). Conversely, in 2018, share in electricity production altered radically in some areas; for example, electricity produced by coal decreased by around 50% over 2017, and the share in renewable energy decreased by 3% (Newell et al. 2019 ). Moreover, the share of other resources like natural gas, nuclear, and oil rose swiftly.

World energy demand comparison from 2015 to 2018 (Newell et al. 2019 )

Notably, fossil fuel reserves are likely to drain off progressively in the coming years (Kadiri et al. 2012 ). The prices of fossil fuels have risen intensely, and this would continue due to consumer demand and falling reserves. Moreover, the burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, the key reason behind climate change and global warming.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 radically altered the global demand for energy (Abiad and Rosa Mia Dagli 2020 ). According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for energy might fall in 2020 for oil (− 9%), coal (− 8%), natural gas (− 5%), and nuclear (− 2%), while that for renewables might rise 1%. Even though the uncertainties thrive, the impending GDP and electricity consumption trends are uncertain in the longer term (IEA 2020a ; Dorn et al. 2020 ). The latest studies have indicated that the range of economic growth directions espoused by the majority of energy outlooks is extremely slimmer compared to the past records. According to IEA estimations, the emissions might fall by around 8% in the present year, going back to the 2010 levels (IEA 2020a ). Nonetheless, in the absence of major changes in municipal policies for dealing with climate change, a switch back to the economic development might indicate a retreat to greenhouse gas emissions growth.

In 2020, the capacity for renewable electricity would fall by 13% as against 2019, the nation’s first downward movement since 2000 (Hale et al. 2020 ). This refers to a 20% downward revision as against our earlier estimate wherein 2020 was projected to be the best ever year for renewable power. Notably, the majority of these delayed ventures are likely to be online in 2021, triggering a bounce back of capacity additions. Consequently, 2021 is estimated to nearly touch the level of renewable capacity increases of 2019 (Hale et al. 2020 ). In spite of the bounce back, the joint growth in 2020 and 2021 is around 10% lower as against the earlier IEA estimate (Fig. 2 ) (IEA 2020a ). China and the USA are likely to witness a rise in capacity additions in 2020 and 2021 as against 2019. The discontinuing of subsidies in China and the termination of tax credits in the USA (in 2020 and 2021, respectively) (Fig. 2 ) is driving project development. However, both countries are likely to offer certain flexibility, permitting projects to be commissioned next year without sacrificing incentives. Consequently, wind and solar PV are expected to be reorganised and commissioned in 2021. In India, COVID-19 is worsening current challenges regarding the fiscal health of distribution firms, which play a vital part in the positioning of utility scale as well as distributed PV.

World renewable electricity capacity, 2012–2021 (IEA 2020)

Ocean energy technology (OET) has several beneficial aspects like economic progress, supply security, and reduction of CO 2 emissions. Ocean energy technology should be endorsed and given due importance to increase adoption that ultimately leads to global ocean energy marketplaces (Badcock-Broe et al. 2014 ). Ocean energy is renewable and depends on several aspects of ocean waves like water temperature, currents, and salinity. The moon, sun, and other celestial bodies are responsible for the formation of tides, and solar radiation, among other things. There are several aspects concerning ocean energy, namely waves, tidal currents, ocean heat, tidal barriers, and salinity gradient energy. Ocean renewable energy is noteworthy with a global installed capacity of 76 million MW, thereby reducing emissions (Behrens et al. 2015 ). Coastal nations are in a unique position to have energy security using clean energy and also reduce climate change (Li 2008 ; Behrens et al. 2015 ). In the global electricity scenario, ocean renewable energy has a contribution of up to 7% (Esteban and Leary 2012 ). In comparison, tidal stream and offshore wind techniques collectively account for about 0.75% of worldwide energy requirements (Esteban and Leary 2012 ). Tidal stream energy holds more potential compared to wave energy, or offshore wind energy; however, very few areas are suitable for extraction of tidal stream energy. Technology concerning the extraction of tidal stream energy is still in the nascent stage of development; however, it has massive potential to gain a significant fraction in the future energy mix for sites in: UK, Canada, France (Guillou et al. 2018 ; Coles et al. 2017 ), Norway, Spain (González-Caballín et al. 2016 ); Indonesia (Orhan et al. 2015 ), Taiwan (Chen et al. 2013 ), China (Gao et al. 2015 ), Malaysia (Lim and Koh 2010 ), Philippines (Buhali et al. 2012 ), and New Zealand (Moore and Boyle 2014 ). The tides in the oceans hold massive energy potential and could potentially be a prominent electrical energy source. Tidal barrages have been researched, along with other technologies, to understand how to capture ocean energy effectively. Nevertheless, tidal energy is not a commercial mainstream energy source yet but holds the potential to be exploited as a commercial renewable energy source. Additionally, tidal energy is less polluting and can produce massive energy compared to other renewable sources. Tidal current velocity can lead to high power production, given the turbine is placed at an appropriate location (Rourke et al. 2010 ). Globally, several roadblocks are facing the implementation of tidal energy and associated technology. For instance, turbine efficiency, cost of setting up a power plant, and social awareness are few such issues. The objective of this study is to highlight present generation trends concerning tidal energy, address related environmental concerns, and discuss future prospects and social responsibility in the tidal energy scenario. Moreover, there is a review of tidal energy policies.

2 Current status and trend of tidal energy technology

Technological advancement has led to the enhancement of the power produced from the ocean. There was a 13% growth in 2019, which is remarkably higher than the growth in the three preceding years. However, there needs to be a speedy deployment of this technology for it to be as per the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS), thereby an annual growth of 23% is required through 2030 (Adrian 2020). Research and development, along with state policy, is necessary to achieve the required cost reduction and facilitate massive deployment. Electrical power generated from marine sources saw an increase of 13% in 2019 (Adrian, 2020). Nevertheless, the status of marine power is still “not on track” since it is too far from the requirements of the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS), where an annual growth rate of 23% is required till 2030 (IEA 2020b ) (Fig. 3 ). Several countries like Canada, the UK, China, and Australia have already functioning sophisticated marine energy projects of 10 kW to 1 MW capacity (IEA 2020b ). Nevertheless, such small-scale and demonstrative projects are expensive because they do not achieve the required economies of scale to be cost-efficient.

Ocean power generation scenario, 2000–2030 (IEA 2020b )

The rising and falling waters of the ocean determine the extent of tidal power potential. Along the shore, neap and spring tides having a range of 4–12 m have a power production potential of 1–10 MW/km (Khan et al. 2017 ). Estimation for tidal power may be conducted using an estuary located on the seashore. The energy potential for a tide height of R meter above the sea datum line is specified as:

where ρ denotes the density of seawater (kg/m 2 ) and g denotes the gravitational constant (9.81 m/s 2 ). Given that the tidal range equals the difference between the maximum and minimum basin levels, an average water discharge of ( Q = AH / t ) flowing through the turbine will do work (falling from height h ) as specified by the following equation:

Considering 705 annual tidal cycles with η representing turbine efficiency, the annual power generation is:

Only a few tidal power plants in the world are currently generating electricity. It was in Europe that the first commercial tidal power plant was installed. In 1920, UK became the first country to suggest utilising the power of the tides to produce electricity (Kirby and Retière 2009 ). However, installation of the first commercial tidal power plant was done in France, specifically in Brittany’s Rance Estuary in 1967. This power plant was equipped with an installed capacity of 240 MW and was able to supply 4% of Brittany’s domestic electricity supply (Kirby and Retière 2009 ). The barrage of the plant measured 720 m long and had a surface area of 22 km 2 . It served as a road and was fitted with a lock to accommodate shipping passage. The barrage operated with a hydrostatic head of 5 m and had 24 reversible 10 MW bulb turbines. The power plant was able to produce an annual output of approximately 480 GWh (Segura et al. 2017 ). The second largest commercial tidal power plant is the Annapolis Royal Generating Station power plant, which was built between 1980 and 1984 in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. With its 20 MW capacity, this power plant is also connected to the Canadian national grid. Its annual generating capacity is 30 GWh (Power 16-12-2012; Khan et al. 2017 ), and it utilises only a single Straflo turbine (Mazumder and Arima 2005 ). The Kislaya Guba power plant has a 0.4 MW capacity and was built on the Barents Sea by the Russian government in 1968. In 2006, it was given an upgrade to use a 1.2 MW orthogonal turbine (Station). In 1985, China constructed the Jiangxia Tidal Power Station in the south of Hangzhou. It has a generation capacity of 3.2 MW and possesses a two-way operational capacity that is capable of producing 4.4 GWh of electrical power annually, as presented in Table 1 (Plant). In 2011, the world’s biggest tidal power plant was built by the (South) Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water). This tidal power plant had an installed capacity of 254 MW and is capable of generating an annual output of 552 GWh (Kang et al. 2013 . In 2009, South Korea commissioned the construction of a second tidal power plant (Uldolmok Tidal Power Station) that possesses an installed capacity of 1.5 MW and is able to produce 2.4 GWh per year (project). In 2015, the Netherlands established the Eastern Scheldt Barrier Tidal Power Plant with a generation capacity of 1.25 MW. This power plant is capable of providing for the domestic electric supply of approximately 1000 Dutch households (Barrier 2016 ; Energy 2016 ). The details of the tidal power plants built around the world so far are given in Table 1 , while Table 2 provides the details for the power plants planned for future operation.

Research and development studies regarding ocean energy technology have primarily been performed in Europe by both the EU and its member states. These studies have resulted in improvements in the available technology and improved policies and planning procedures for ocean energy. National and international policymakers need to focus on the successful establishment of a marine energy marketplace that includes provisions for incentives that will encourage the utilisation of tidal energy and help implement strategies to enhance the level of research and technology. Companies must also be encouraged to focus on developing and installing ocean energy technology.

3 Environmental view and ecological impact

Some of the environmental impacts associated with tidal energy include risk of collision with migratory and mobile marine species, electromagnetic fields, noise, loss of habitat, reduction in visual amenity, and change in sediment distribution. One possible area that will potentially impart ecological impacts is the generation of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) by submarine cables. These electromagnetic fields may negatively affect the growth, generation, and progress of marine species, as presented in earlier studies (Öhman et al. 2007 ; Gill and Bartlett 2011 ). It can also affect carnivorous species that function as predators to marine life. Moreover, due to their effects on navigational equipment, EMFs from sub-sea cables may also influence shipping. However, recent laboratory-based studies on the effects of electromagnetic radiation have found no direct influence on the migration or breeding of benthic animals. Furthermore, there has been no effect on elasmobranch fish species like sharks, and it has been found that they generally do not seem to influence their swimming speed. However, these effects can be species specific and there is still no clarity on their overall biological effect (Gill et al. 2012 ; Westerberg and Lagenfelt 2008 ). EMF discharges generated by the exploitation of ocean energy are believed to produce very low risks or can even be completely risk-free. However, there is a need to conduct further studies to confirm this (Gill et al. 2012 ; Leeney et al. 2014 ).

The ecological impact that ocean energy exploitation has remains unclear since tidal energy devices and ecosystems have complex and progressive interactions over time, which may lead to unforeseen consequences (Lin and Yu 2012 ; Wilson et al. 2006 ). Whilst there is knowledge about the ecosystem of the Earth, there is limited knowledge about oceanic ecosystems. Furthermore, obtaining more information on ocean environments can be both expensive and difficult. Projects involving tidal energy only take away a small amount from the ocean’s total energy flow. Measuring the indicators of small ecological effects or avoiding such events will be difficult (Wilson et al. 2006 ; Shields et al. 2011 ). Due to ecological constraints, the potential for constructing traditional tidal range technology, which involves closing river arms or streams with dams or impoundments, is limited. Moreover, previous experiences with artificially closed compounds have shown that managing an artificial tidal basin involves high costs and requires careful planning and monitoring. It is worth noting that for the Canadian plants, well-documented discussions took place from the beginning of their operation regarding their effects on marine life and how they can be mitigated. This is valuable information since ecological issues pose important conditions and requirements in allowing the installations of such structures in protected water bodies.

4 Social influences

A “social gap” is present between public support for renewable energy development that results in local employment opportunities, lower electricity costs, reduced carbon emissions, and increased energy security, and the lesser success of planning and application approvals, which is due to visual impacts, indifference to climate change, the desire to prevent the industrialisation of coastal waters, and harm to tourism, fisheries, recreation, and navigation activities, along with potential impacts on property values as well as social unity. Planning and decision-making can lead to more opposition due to poor engagement with the public. This matter is best settled through improved communication and involvement among all stakeholders, although longer and costlier consultation processes would be involved.

In earlier times, the problems involved with usage of renewable energy sources were not of widespread concern to UK citizens (Walker 1995 ; Bonar et al. 2015 ), whereas today some 80% would support increased reliance on renewable energies. Nevertheless, the degree of utilisation of renewable energy power sources is much lower than the degree of public support present. Likewise, from July 2012 to June 2013, the level of public support among UK citizens for onshore wind generation development correspondingly declined from some 68–59% for England and down to 46% for Wales (Bonar et al. 2015 ). The problem concerns the judgement and intentions of citizens and remains complex (Warren et al. 2005 ; Bell et al. 2005 ; Michaud et al. 2008 ), for much support for renewable energies depends on a mounting public appreciation of environmental responsibility that entails replacement of fossil fuel energy sources with a need to cut greenhouse gas emission levels (Devine-Wright 2011 ; Ladenburg 2010 ). For one, renewable energy expansions create jobs in provincial areas (Dacre 2007 ; Bonar et al. 2015 ), supply low-cost electricity (Devine-Wright 2011 ), and promote energy conservation (Bell et al. 2005 ; Ladenburg 2010 ). Then again, communities in areas where tidal energy facilities have been proposed are wary of the possible harmful effects on local fisheries (West et al. 2009 ; Kerr et al. 2014 ), shipping security, deep-sea entertainment, and tourist activities (Bell et al. 2005 ; McLachlan 2009 ), along with possible impacts on property values (Warren et al. 2005 ) and local societies (Firestone and Kempton 2007 ). Nonetheless, conflicts with local communities can be settled by imparting better knowledge about the operations of tidal energy facilities and also by maximising the role of home-grown contributors. In this manner, the long-term benefits could be shown to be favourable to local districts (Irvin and Stansbury 2004 ; Cass et al. 2010 ). Such developments can meet local requirements when unused land is utilised and placed under the ownership of local community, with provisions for systematic distribution of project that proceeds to community members, even if certain negative effects do ensue from project implementation (Cass et al. 2010 ). However, new proposals may face organised opposition and be forcefully disputed, or could even be suspended, whenever approval processes deadlock (Waldo 2012 ). Nevertheless, frivolous local objections to such plans can be avoided when people are convinced to act smartly regarding policies that would improve usage of renewable energies (Bonar et al. 2015 ).

5 Tidal energy policy

It has been known that there are a number of contributing government guidelines and industry activities that can propel technology development and utilisation, which can be usually be classified as “technology push”, “market pull”, and “regulatory push/pull”. Other activities that governments carry out are sometimes called “enabling activities”, which include activities like environmental analysis, financial support for research, conference hosting, and other such activities. The tidal energy guidelines developed by several nations are not regulated by any global organisations. Meanwhile, several nations have developed their own tidal energy guidelines. Table 3 briefly outlines the tidal energy guidelines of different nations. Figure 4 summarises the global tidal energy policy issues.

Global tidal energy policy issues (Fox et al. 2018 )

Development of the tidal energy has been undertaken in Portugal, Canada, France, the USA, and the UK, and these nations have even defined policies for tidal energy. Globally, tidal energy guidelines fall under the common heading of renewable energy guidelines and most nations have set goals for the increase in the utilisation of renewable energy resources so as to reduce need of fossil fuels and to reduce CO 2 emissions (Ozturk et al. 2009 ). The tidal energy is more environmentally pleasant than more traditional energy sources and is more stable and predictable than other renewable energy sources, as well as being possibly safer. Nonetheless, using a range of renewable energy sources in order to reduce CO 2 emissions can potentially make the power produced in these ways economical and viable for use in the industry, therefore leading to financial growth via more efficient production and more employment (do Valle Costa et al. 2008 ; Sun et al. 2008 ).

6 Prospects of tidal energy and proposed power plant

Currently, tidal dams or barrages are regarded as determined energy tools that are capable of producing electricity on a profitable scale. The research and development (R&D) in tidal energy is largely in the field of tidal barriers and turbines. The next epoch is likely to witness the tidal energy becoming a fully profitably sustainable energy source, and thus comprehensive research is significant in tidal energy (Ramos and Ringwood 2016 ; Melikoglu 2018 ). Nowadays, high quantities of capital funding are provided in order to develop the projects of the tidal stream energy. The electricity production cost from the tidal energy is much greater than that of the conventional energy sources (Melikoglu 2018 ). Moreover, there are doubts regarding environmental effects of tidal energy equipment installation and its procedure on the marine dwellers and birds in the long duration. The future seems brighter due to the designs of the tidal dams or barrages because the technology has been created roughly since half a century. Nonetheless, it has been stated that there are extensive plans for projects of tidal barrages in Russia, Korea, India, and the UK which amounts to nearly 115 GW in total (Ramos and Ringwood 2016 ), and deployment predictions for tidal energy up to 2020 are nearly about 200 MW (IRENA 2014 ). Table 4 presents the globally proposed tidal power stations.

Tidal energy could generate electricity, though there are certain challenges in its development and in promotion of awareness of ocean energy resources, and bring an increase in their present potential. Challenges in the development of tidal energy are shown in Fig. 5 . Further research could identify these challenges, and nations, oceanic and maritime services, industry, research organisations, and universities are required to obtain an integrated and coordinated methodology, so as to obtain robust, viable, and cost-efficient tidal energy. Nonetheless, increasing affordability could shift the innovation, incentive, and cost reduction towards other alternative energy sources. Predictability has emphasised the problem of considering the impacts of turbulence and their influence in the fatigue life of the component. Consequently, it could be a contributing aspect in reducing the unforeseen conservation requirements by performing more comprehensive studies on factors such as specific components of the MTBF (mean time between failure) as well as life expectation, developing the manufacturability of tidal energy converters from first-scale prototype to profitable manufacture. This will affect the design of important modules and sub-elements in supplement to expansion of the manufacturing procedure. Moreover, study of the new materials as alternatives for steel indicates high cost reductions along with a decrease in the dimensions of the established modules. The definition of new regulation techniques and operating and testing practices will help the distant survivability and operability of the tidal energy technologies that function under extreme circumstances. Providing inexpensive automation methods with less human involvement will allow low-cost multipurpose ships instead of high-cost extraordinary vessels, so as to optimise setting up and maintenance expenses.

Challenges in the development of tidal energy (Energy, December 2012 )

7 Conclusion

In theory, the ocean has abundant energy store, the utilisation of which requires the creation of innovations to make the tidal energy a useful source of secured energy with which to fill the lack of energy, and decreasing global CO 2 emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels. This study summarises the present trends and further potential of the tidal energy platform, though it is required that tidal power stations produce energy in the range of hundreds of thousands of megawatts to gigawatts of power to compete with the production capacity of other conventional and nonconventional sources of energy. Thus, it is crucial to evaluate accurately the usefulness of the working of various pieces of power-producing equipment with respect to the amount of power supply to the electrical grid. A better insight into the tidal energy and various devices available to exploit it will lead to enhanced equipment design. Tidal energy is a pollution-free natural and renewable energy source with only a negligible environmental impact. Nonetheless, the effect of marine energy exploitation on the environment is required to be entirely understood to make sure that there are no hindrances to large-scale utilisation. A more integrated engineering design methodology is vital to optimise the usage of materials, science, and recent manufacturing methods. Finally, the goal of future exploration is to develop technology that leads to integrated grid networks from offshore transmission lines while decreasing setting up costs and environmental effects.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge and appreciate the contribution of The Solar Energy Research Institute of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) through the research Grant Number GUP-2017-031. Due appreciation is also credited to the Institute of Sustainable Energy (ISE) of the Universiti Tenaga Nasional (The National Energy University) of Malaysia for their valuable support through the BOLD2025 Programme. The authors also acknowledge the contribution of Thailand’s Education Hub for Southern Region of ASEAN Countries Project (THE-AC) with Code Number THE-AC 062/2017.

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Kazi Sajedur Rahman, Vidhya Selvanathan & Md. Akhtaruzzaman

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Chowdhury, M.S., Rahman, K.S., Selvanathan, V. et al. Current trends and prospects of tidal energy technology. Environ Dev Sustain 23 , 8179–8194 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01013-4

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Received : 26 November 2019

Accepted : 25 September 2020

Published : 06 October 2020

Issue Date : June 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01013-4

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Essay on Tidal Energy (For School and College Students) | Energy Management

Are you looking for an essay on ‘Tidal Energy’? Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Tidal Energy’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Tidal Energy

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Economic Aspects of Tidal Energy Conversion

Essay # 1. Introduction to Tidal Energy :

The periodic rise and fall of the water level of sea which are carried by the action of the sun and moon on water of the earth is called the ‘tide’.

The daily variation in tidal level is mainly due to the changing position of the moon:

i. Tidal energy can furnish a significant portion of all such energies which are renewable in nature. The large scale up and down movement of sea water represents an unlimited source of energy. If some part of this vast energy can be converted into electrical energy, it would be an important source of hydropower.

ii. The main feature of the tidal cycle is the difference in water surface elevations at the high tide and at the low tide. If this differential head could be utilized in operating a hydraulic turbine, the tidal energy could be converted into electrical energy by means of an attached generator.

Essay # 2. Tidal Range (R) :

The tidal range is the difference between consecutive high tide and low tide water level. It is denoted by R and is measured in metres.

Tidal energy refers to the potential energy in the tidal range.

Fig. 8.1 shows the time versus water-level characteristics of ocean tide for a lunar day. The tidal curve against time is approximately sinusoidal. Range (R) is the difference in water level of high-tide crest and low-tide crest. This difference is utilised to obtain the head of water between ocean-side and basin-side of the barrage (dam).

Tidal range (amplitude) varies widely depending upon geographical location, contour of ocean bed, depth of oceans, distance from coasts etc. It is insignificant in the middle of ocean and significant near coast. Tidal ranges of 0.25 m to 17 m have been recorded in different locations.

Tidal range is not constant at the same collection but varies with lunar days in the month. A lunar month is of 29.5 days.

Essay # 3. Production of Ocean-Tides :

Fig. 8.2 explains how ocean-tides are produced.

Spring tides are those in which the tidal range is maximum on full moon and new moon.

The tides in which the tidal range is minimum on first quarter and third quarter are called Neaptides.

Fig. 8.3 shows a record of daily and monthly tides in a complete lunar month.

Daily cycle is due to rotation of earth about its axis producing two crests and two ebbs in one lunar day (Fig. 8.1).

Monthly cycle is of two maximas and two minimas in one lunar month of 29.5 days. This cycle is due to changing position of the moon and sun with one revolution of the moon around the earth.

The tidal range has a typical daily variation superimposed on a monthly variation.

Essay # 4. Origin of Tides (Tidal Phenomenon):

The tidal energy is due to the gravitational force of attraction between the earth and sun and between earth and moon.

The gravitational force F between two bodies, say between sun and a molecule on earth, is given by:

A = Area of basin, considered constant, m 2 ,

p = Density of water, kg/m 3 ,

g = Gravitational constant,

m = Mass flowing through the turbine, kg,

h = Head, m, and

W = Work done by water flowing through turbine, J.

For tidal range (amplitude) R, and certain head (h) at the given time during the flow from the ocean to basin, the differential work done (dW) is equal to the change in potential energy due to change in mass (dm) of water. Hence,

dW = dm.g.h, J

But, dm = – p.A.dh

(-ve sign indicates decrease in the mass of water during in emptying operation)

So, that dW = -p.A.dh.g.h, J

The total work done (W) by water while emptying the basin is obtained by integrating dW from R to 0,

This system is 100 percent more efficient that single-effect system/plant because it generates double energy per cycle.

Essay # 6. Power Generation (Yearly) From Tidal Plants :

The energy available from a tidal plant depends on the following two factors:

(i) The tidal range.

(ii) The volume of water accumulated in the basin.

Tidal energy is slowly-increasing hydro-energy during filling of the basin, and after a period of nearly 3 hours it attains its peak value. When the tide recedes, water is allowed to flow from basin to sea; it is then slowly-decreasing hydro-energy and attains its lowest value when the turbine stops after a period of 3 hours. Thus, the energy available for a tidal point can be calculated in a similar way as for an hydropower plant; i.e., considering the average discharge and available head at any instant.

Let, A = Average cross-sectional area of the basin, m 3

H = Difference between maximum and minimum water levels, m, and

V = Volume of basin, m 3 .

Now, V = AH

∴ Average discharge, Q = AH/t

where t is the total duration of generation in one filling/emptying operation in seconds.

Now, power generated at any instant,

In India, following are the major sites where preliminary investigations had been carried but:

(i) Bhavanagar;

(ii) Navalakh (Kutch);

(iii) Diamond harbour;

(iv) Ganga Sagar.

The basin in Kandla in Gujrat has been estimated to have a capacity of 600 MW.

The total potential of Indian coast is around 9000 MW, which does not compare favourably with the sites in the American continent states. The technical and economic difficulties still prevail.

Essay # 11. Economic Aspects of Tidal Energy Conversion :

The cost of a tidal energy conversion scheme includes:

(i) Cost of barrages,

(ii) Cost of land of basins and development of basins, and

(iii) Cost of power plant.

The capital cost per kWh of energy is therefore very high. The running cost and maintenance cost are, however, low.

i. The mini hydro projects are more favoured than tidal power plants,

ii. The tidal power plants may be economically comparable, in future, when cost of conventional fuels becomes more prohibitive.

In spite of the fact that tidal power plants are costly, they have the following fringe benefits:

1. Renewable energy, free of cost for entire period of time.

2. Performance is pollution free.

3. Development of regions on both the sides of the barrage and on the banks of the basin.

4. With pumped storage facility, continuous, dependable large power can be obtained. The rating of tidal power plant is in the range of several tens of MW.

5. Technology of bulb turbines developed for tidal power plants is useful in mini- hydro and pumped hydro-power plants.

6. Road on the top of the barrage eliminates the need of a separate bridge.

7. Tourist attraction in tidal power plants and development of tourism.

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Review and assessment of the German tidal energy resource

Korte, Alexander
Windt, Christian
Goseberg, Nils

To mitigate climate change, a transformation of the energy sector towards a low-emission power generation is necessary. Tidal energy technology has matured in recent years and has the potential to balance Europe's future power grid. While reviews of the tidal energy resource exist for a number of European countries, along the German North Sea coast is overlooked so far. This paper closes this gap and provides a comprehensive review and assessment of the German tidal energy resource. Germany's North Sea coast is characterised by comparatively low current velocities and shallow waters. Using available data from the EasyGSH-DB North Sea Model, Germany's practical tidal energy resource is estimated in a range between 66.6 and 565.8 GWh y-1 to, excluding the most energetic sites in the estuaries of Elbe, Weser, and Ems. A stakeholder questionnaire aimed at tidal energy technology developers has shown that it is considered important to further develop the technology towards the use in shallow water and under low current velocities.

Marine renewable energy;
Tidal energy;
German Bight;
Stakeholder analysis

Physics Concept Questions And Answers

Tidal Energy Questions

Tidal energy is a renewable resource of energy. It’s environmentally friendly. Tidal currents are generated by the tides and are affected by the moon. Tide is converted into useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various tidal or tidal energy methods.

The Earth’s oceanic tides are the source of tidal energy. The periodic movement of water in a horizontal direction due to astronomical causes of the tide is known as a tidal stream. Tidal stream generators draw energy from water currents, similarly to wind turbines drawing energy from air currents.

Important Tidal Energy Questions with Answers

1. _____ is a machine that takes energy from a flow of fluid.

Answer: c) Turbine

Explanation: Turbines are placed in tidal streams to generate electricity.

2. Choose the correct answer: Tidal energy is a _____ form of energy.

b) Non-renewable

Answer: a) Renewable

Explanation: Tidal energy is a renewable form of energy that is inexhaustible.

3. The intensity of sea waves are _____

Always zero
Always increasing

Answer: c) Variable

Explanation: The intensity of sea waves are variable. Sometimes waves are of high intensity and sometimes low.

4. The rise and fall of sea levels are caused by the

The gravitational force of the Sun
The gravitational force of the Moon
Rotation of the Earth
All the above options

Answer: d) All the above options

Explanation: The gravitational force of the Sun, moon, and rotation of the Earth cause the rise and fall of sea levels.

5. A tidal generator converts the energy of tidal flows into _____

Solar energy
Electricity

Answer: b) Electricity

Explanation: A tidal generator converts the energy of tidal flows into electricity.

6. Type of tidal energy generator which uses a large dam is known as _____

Tidal stream
None of the options

Answer: c) Barrage

Explanation: A dam-like structure constructed across a bay is known as a tidal barrage.

7. Tidal energy is also known as _____

Tidal force
Tidal power
Tidal water
Tidal resource

Answer: b) Tidal power

Explanation: tidal energy is also known as tidal power.

8. State true or false: During the rise and fall of tides, tidal energy is generated.

Answer: a) TRUE

9. Choose YES or NO: Tidal energy is affected by the different phases of the moon.

Answer: a) YES

Explanation: Tidal energy is affected by the tides and different phases of the moon.

10. When the Earth and Moon’s gravitational field is in a straight line, the influences of these two fields become ______

Remains the same

Answer: c) Strong

Explanation: When the Earth and Moon’s gravitational field is in a straight line, the field-effect becomes strong, and millions of gallons of water flow towards the shore resulting in the high tide condition.

Practice Questions

What are tides?
What is tidal energy?
What are the various ways in which tidal power can be harnessed?
What is a tidal stream generator?
What is a renewable resource?

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Astrophysics > High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Title: black hole mass and optical radiation mechanism of the tidal disruption event at 2023clx.

Abstract: We present the optical light curves of the tidal disruption event (TDE) AT 2023clx in the declining phase, observed with Mephisto. Combining our light curve with the ASAS-SN and ATLAS data in the rising phase, and fitting the composite multi-band light curves with MOSFiT, we estimate black hole mass of AT 2023clx is between $10^{5.67}$--$10^{5.82}~M_{\odot}$. This event may be caused by either a full disruption of a $0.1~M_{\odot}$ star, or a partial disruption of a $0.99~M_{\odot}$ star, depending on the data adopted for the rising phase. Based on those fit results and the non-detection of soft X-ray photons in the first 90 days, we propose that the observed optical radiation is powered by stream-stream collision. We speculate that the soft X-ray photons may gradually emerge in 100--600 days after the optical peak, when the debris is fully circularized into a compact accretion disk.

Comments:	15 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Subjects:	High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE); Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
Cite as:	[astro-ph.HE]
	(or [astro-ph.HE] for this version)
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