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Tidal Power

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Tidal Power

What is tidal energy? * Tidal Energy is the utilization of the variations in sea level cause primarily by the gravitational effects of the moon, combined with the rotation of the Earth. * Tidal power is a way to generate electricity by taking energy from the sea. * Tidal power generation works differently to hydro-electricity, and wave power. * The tides contain energy that can be harnessed to produce electricity

Some Tidal Plant’s are: * Tidal Fences are fences that block any channels that forces water to go through it and turn it’s turbines to generate electricity. * Barrage Tidal plants are the most common type of tidal plant. A dam or a barrage is installed usually when there is a narrow water channel with gates and turbines at certain points * Tidal Turbines work like an underwater wind turbine, using the tides to turn blades and generate electricity.

How does it work? * Tidal Energy works more like hydro-electric scheme, except the dam is much more bigger. * A huge dam called a “barrage” is built across a rive estuary, and when the tide goes in and out, the water flow’s through tunnels in the dam.

Advantages: * Once you’ve built it, tidal power is free * It produces no greenhouse gases or other water * It needs no fuel * It produces electricity reliably * It is not expensive to maintain * Tides are totally predictable * Offshore turbines and vertical-axis turbines are not really expensive to build and do not have a large environmental impact.

Disadvantages: * Only provides power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out. * A barrage across an estuary is very expensive to build. * It affects a very wide area by taking up all the space for the tidal generation * Fishes can migrate unless “fish ladders” are installed. * Birds rely on the tide uncovering the mud flats so that they can feed. * It is expensive to construct * There are limited construction locations.

Tidal Energy: * Tidal Energy is renewable because the tides will continue to ebb and flow, and the energy is there for the taking. * The largest tidal power station in the world is in the France estuary in the northern France, near St. Malo. * Tidal Energy has the potential to become a successful option for the large scale. * Tidal Streams are the most attractive method, because it has reduced environmental and ecological impacts and being cheaper and built in quicker.

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