{"id":229,"date":"2014-09-11T07:23:26","date_gmt":"2014-09-11T07:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zoldenergiablog.hu\/en\/?page_id=229"},"modified":"2014-09-11T07:23:26","modified_gmt":"2014-09-11T07:23:26","slug":"what-is-tidal-energy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/zoldenergiablog.hu\/en\/archive\/what-is-tidal-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"What is tidal energy?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy used by humans. Indeed, tide mills, in use on the Spanish, French and British coasts, date back to 787 A.D.. Tide mills consisted of a storage pond, filled by the incoming (flood) tide through a sluice and emptied during the outgoing (ebb) tide through a water wheel. Tidal power is non-polluting, reliable and predictable. Tidal barrages, undersea tidal turbines &#8211; like wind turbines but driven by the sea &#8211; and a variety of machines harnessing undersea currents are under development. Unlike wind and waves, tidal currents are entirely predictable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tidal range may vary over a wind range (4.5-12.4 m) from site to site. A tidal range of at least 7 m is required for economical operation and for sufficient head of water for the turbines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Currently, although the technology required to harness tidal energy is well established, tidal power is expensive, and there is only one major tidal generating station in operation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tidal energy is a renewable source of electricity which does not result in the emission of gases responsible for global warming or acid rain associated with fossil fuel generated electricity. Use of tidal energy could also decrease the need for nuclear power, with its associated radiation risks. Changing tidal flows by damming a bay or estuary could, however, result in negative impacts on aquatic and shoreline ecosystems, as well as navigation and recreation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"584\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZPi9HeDgN58?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The few studies that have been undertaken to date to identify the environmental impacts of a tidal power scheme have determined that each specific site is different and the impacts depend greatly upon local geography.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tidal power is a form of low-head hydroelectricity and uses familiar low-head hydroelectric generating equipment, such as has been in use for more than 120 years. The technology required for tidal power is well developed, and the main barrier to increased use of the tides is that of construction costs. There is a high capital cost for a tidal energy project, with possibly a 10-year construction period. Therefore, the electricity cost is very sensitive to the discount rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The technology required to convert tidal energy into electricity is very similar to the technology used in traditional hydroelectric power plants. The first requirement is a dam or \u201cbarrage\u201d across a tidal bay or estuary. Building dams is an expensive process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The demand for electricity on an electrical grid varies with the time of day. The supply of electricity from a tidal power plant will never match the demand on a system. But, due to the lunar cycle and gravity, tidal currents, although variable, are reliable and predictable and their power can make a valuable contribution to an electrical system which has a variety of sources. Tidal electricity can be used to displace electricity which would otherwise be generated by fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas) fired power plants, thus reducing emissions of greenhouse and acid gasses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oceanenergycouncil.com\/\">http:\/\/www.oceanenergycouncil.com\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy used by humans. Indeed, tide mills, in use on the Spanish, French and British coasts, date back to 787 A.D.. 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