Tidal energy is used to generate electricity through the use of tidal energy generators. By placing large underwater turbines in areas with high tidal movements, they are used to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to generate electricity.
Tidal power is a great source of renewable energy, offering great potential for future power and electricity generation due to the massive size of the oceans.
Advantages of Tidal Energy
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Apart from the initial installation cost, tidal power is free.
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Tidal energy produces no greenhouse gases or any other kind of pollution.
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It requires no fuel.
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Electricity is produced reliably.
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Not expensive to maintain.
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Tides are totally predictable, enabling us to calculate when we can generate more, and at times when the generation is low, shift the load to some other source of electricity generation.
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Offshore turbines and vertical-axis turbines are not extremely expensive to build and do not have a large environmental impact.
Disadvantages of Tidal Energy
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A barrage across an estuary is very expensive to build, and affects a very wide area.
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The environment is changed for many miles upstream and downstream.
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Many birds rely on the tide uncovering the mud flats so that they can feed. Fish can’t migrate, unless “fish ladders” are installed.
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Tides provide power for only 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out.
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There are only a few suitable sites for tidal barrages.
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