Tidal Energy, Wave Energy in Oceans and Seas

By: EconomyWatch   Date: 30 April 2010

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Tidal and Wave Power Projects Reaching Industrial Grade Output Internationally

With the success of La Rance, the world’s first tidal power plant in France, the UK is now poised to launch major tidal energy development projects. This trend has catalyzed other countries, like South Korea, to invest, use and develop tidal energy as a major source of electricity.

The development of tidal energy, which implies generating electricity by using the energy of tides and their cyclical variations, dates back to the Middle Ages. The use of small tidal mills in Scotland and Europe reveal that the concept of tidal energy is not new. Most academics believe that tidal energy gained momentum with the emergence of the Newtonian tidal theory. Newton’s gravitational theory and the mechanics of motion addressed several gray areas, such as the properties of tides. This fostered better understanding of tidal energy and its properties.

From the twentieth century onwards, the potential benefits of developing tidal energy was seriously examined and studied. The world’s first and major tidal energy power plant is located at La Rance in France. Since its inception in 1996, this 240 MW power plant continues to be a reliable source of electricity for France.

Following the success of the La Rance power plant in 1996, more researchers and scientists stepped up research to identify other potential tidal power sites around the world. Some potential sites that are currently identified include the Severn Estuary Channel between Wales and England, the White Sea in Russia and the Bay of Fundy in Canada.

The 1990s era spurred on a planning and development phase to harness the potential of tidal power. A UK company named Marine Current Turbines Ltd (MCT) built its large prototype submarine system, known as Seaflow, in the Bristol Channel. The facility has a capacity of 300 KW, is backed by rotor design efficiency and has exhibited an impressive performance in open sea conditions for several years now.

The year 2008 brought increased recognition by the world’s power generation industry to steer ahead with tidal energy development. Trends indicate that the UK is set to emerge as the world’s leader in spearheading the development phase of tidal energy. On July 18, 2008, the MCT launched SeaGen, which is its first commercial scale tidal turbine in Strangford Narrows, in Northern Ireland.

Another leading British tidal power company, Lunar Energy, has recently announced the development of a 300 MW capacity tidal energy field off the coast known as the South Korean coast. Through a joint venture with Korean Midland Power Co, the proposed power plant is expected to have a capacity of 300 MW by 2015.

A growing concern has been the environmental impact of tidal energy power plants. Studies are continuing on how tide alteration may impact aquatic, marine and shoreline ecosystems. Academics believe that progress in this line of research may be delayed as each tidal power site possesses its own distinct geographical and ecological diversity issues.


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