Tidal Energy Essay

Submitted By caguilar96
Words: 785
Pages: 4
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Does the average American ever ponder the thought of where the electricity that powers their lives comes from? Oil isn’t going to last much longer in the world and new sources are being discovered to replace it. Tidal energy is one of many sources being researched and developed to produce energy. But even with this clean energy source, there are drawbacks that go with all the benefits of flowing tidal water. Tidal energy is harnessed through the rise and fall of ocean tides. This is cause by the gravitational pull of the moon. The tides flow in and out and turn the underwater turbines to create electricity. The electricity is transported through cables from the bottom of the turbine, travels across the ocean floor, and the cable ends at an electricity plant. There are not many places where this resource can be effective. A tide of at least 16 feet in change is needed for the resource to be effective. The biggest energy site is the La Rance station in France. It produces more than double the energy that any other site produces. The Bay of Fundy in Novia Scotia has a lot of potential, with tides varying up to 50 feet. Tidal energy also has a small effect on the environment. No harmful gasses are emitted into the earth’s atmosphere, therefore having no destructive effects on the ozone. If anything the ocean is a carbon sink and absorbs the carbon dioxide from the air because of the coral and algae in the ocean. There is almost no carbon footprint when dealing with tidal energy. Tides are also very predictable, making the energy easier to harness. Unlike wind, the tides can be predicted making it easier to determine at what times the cables should be on, saving energy. The turbines used in harnessing the energy do have some interference with the aquatic environment. Fish migrations are interfered with and natural tidal flows can be changed. When the tides are changed, chance for pollution is increased and sediment accumulation increases. Even the best placement of the turbines won’t be avoided by fish. All attempts to stop them from interfering have either failed or have been too expensive. The fish population can be dramatically changed if they continue to interfere and if the tides are changed, the ocean will become more uncomfortable and polluted. Perhaps a solution would be to fence the turbines in so no fish could mess about them. And crews can be assembled to help reduce the sedimentation and pollution every month or so. The development of tidal energy is very simple. The repairs are easy and can be made quickly at a very low cost. Since they are placed in water, there are plenty of convenient times to make repairs. There is also no carbon dioxide produced in the process. Although it may be simple, the repairs need to be done often. Sedimentation and erosion take place on the turbines and call for maintenance. Start up costs are high and it could be a few years before profit is earned from the
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