Group items tagged

Theoretical global ocean energy resource[2] Capacity (GW) Annual gen. (TW·h) Form 5,000 50,000 Marine current power[3] 20 2,000 Osmotic power 1,000 10,000 Ocean thermal energy 90 800 Tidal energy 1,000—9,000 8,000—80,000 Wave energy

The argument for tidal power is overwhelming: it’s a practically infinite supply of clean energy and has one of the smallest carbon footprints of any power source; it’s reliable, cost-efficient, has minimal effect on the marine environment and virtually zero effect on sea-gazing aesthetics. Most importantly, The World Energy Council estimates that the energy that can be harvested from world’s oceans is equal to twice the electricity that the world produces now

One area of concern is how underwater noise generated by the turbines could affect marine mammals that use auditory cues to navigate and communicate with each other.

a tidal energy project is moving ahead in Maine, with high costs but high hopes too. But the 180-kilowatt unit that the Ocean Renewable Power Company hopes to put under water next week is really just a first step. The big question is, how well will it withstand the force of the rushing water?

The region, the Bay of Fundy, is famous for strong tides, but the company has picked a spot called Cobscook Bay, where the current is relatively slow, an average of 5.8 knots, or 6.7 miles an hour. That is the speed at which the hardware will produce 180 kilowatts.

idal turbines are very much like an underwater windmill where the blades are driven by consistent, fast-moving currents.  The submerged rotors harness the power of the tidal streams to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity. Water is 832 times denser than air so consequently tidal turbine rotors can be are much smaller than wind turbine rotors generate equivalent  amounts of electricity, and they can be deployed much closer together. Devices that harness tidal stream energy present a unique set of engineering challenges in terms of design, installation and maintenance. During operation, the force of the tidal flow in Strangford Lough is equivalent to a 345 mph wind generating a 100 tonnes of thrust on the rotors. The unique SeaGen design allows capture of the maximum amount of tidal energy whilst keeping maintenance and connectivity costs low.

Tidal turbines are very much like an underwater windmill where the blades are driven by consistent, fast-moving currents.  The submerged rotors harness the power of the tidal streams to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity. Water is 832 times denser than air so consequently tidal turbine rotors are much smaller than wind turbine rotors generate equivalent  amounts of electricity, and they can be deployed much closer together. Devices that harness tidal stream energy present a unique set of engineering challenges in terms of design, installation and maintenance. During operation, the force of the tidal flow in Strangford Lough is equivalent to a 345 mph wind generating a 100 tonnes of thrust on the rotors.

As far as producing electricity goes, tidal energy is one of the cheapest kinds.

Since the tidal cycle repeats itself every 24 hours, there is a guarantee that power can be produced this way every day of the year.

can help protect delicate coastal areas from storm damage, as well

April 4, 2008 Bristol based renewable energy company Marine Current Turbines has completed the first installation phase of the 1.2MW SeaGen Tidal System at Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough - a site chosen for its combination of fast tidal current and ability to provide shelter from bad weather which may hinder the construction process.