Tidal Power – Waving Goodbye to Fossil Fuels
One of the most innovative and new technologies for electricity production is tidal power. As of today, a few sites in the ocean are operating to test efficiency of this method of energy production, and if these plants are successful, tides and currents could be an environmentally friendly alternative to burning fossil fuels. Because this process is not only clean, but also completely renewable, it is an option that we may need in order to survive in the coming generations.
To be productive, waves must be large. The amount of power that is generated by a wave is dependent on its height, the speed of the current or tide, the wavelength, and the topography of the seafloor. A wave’s energy is generally most efficiently gathered at the surface, although deep pressure currents can be used as well. Locations in the temperate zones during the winter season create the most power.
One of the problems this process of creating energy faces is the need for equipment that can hold up to this tough job. Because of the high level of salt and other minerals in the seawater, metal is easily and quickly worn away with constant motion. Not only does the equipment have to stand up to this every day type of wear and tear, but it also must withstand storms, which are often very violent at sea. The equipment being produced for this work today is still in the prototype stages of development, and researchers are looking for a way to produce new equipment that the cost of building the power plants does not exceed the benefit of gathering energy from the sea.
Recently, more money has been put into developing wave power technology. There are four basic types of systems used to collect energy from waves. A pontoon is pushed or pulled by the waves to push or pull a generator. Waves are used in another type of system to compress the air into a tunnel and drive a generator. A third type, called a CETO, is being used currently in Austrailia. This system uses seafloor pressure to run a hydrolic pump, which then runs water to shore to power a hydroelectric generator. Lastly, waves can be captured in a reservoir, where they are then used to run hydroelectic generators. Each of these systems is relatively simple to set up and when they become more cost efficient, they could provide the earth with energy that is renewable and environmentally friendly.