| One of the Earth's great renewable energy | | | | negative effect on plants and animals in the |
| sources is actually the energy that can be | | | | area. |
| found in all the waves of the ocean. Let's | | | | |
| look at this further. | | | | Tidal fences are also used to generate |
| | | | electricity. Vertical axis turbines are |
| If you have ever been to the ocean, you were | | | | mounted on fences. Passing water is forced |
| probably fascinated by the phenomena of the | | | | through the turbines. Ideal locations for |
| waves crashing against the shorelines as the | | | | these are channels between two landmasses. |
| tides came in. The ocean's tides are the | | | | Tidal fences are cheaper than tidal barrages |
| product of gravitational pull of the sun and | | | | and cause less of an environmental impact on |
| the moon, as well as, the Earth's rotation. | | | | large marine life. |
| It causes the ocean waters to be raised and | | | | |
| lowered from time to time. The tides have | | | | Tidal turbines are a new technology used for |
| cycles of twelve and one half hours, twice | | | | tidal energy. They are similar to wind |
| per day, and are easily predictable. | | | | turbines and are arranged underwater in rows. |
| | | | They work best in areas with strong tides. |
| The use of tidal power is seen as early as | | | | Although they are heavier and costlier to |
| the twelfth century where tidal mills used | | | | build, they also are capable of capturing |
| the force of the tides to grind grain and | | | | more energy. They are also the least |
| corn. The eighteenth century brought | | | | environmentally damaging of all the tidal |
| competition from windmills and waterwheels. | | | | power technologies, since they do not |
| Tidal mills pretty much became extinct with | | | | interfere with migration paths. |
| the invention of cheap steam engines. In | | | | |
| 1967, France became the first to be able to | | | | In order for tidal power to work successfully |
| put tidal wave power to work on a large scale | | | | it requires a tide difference of at least |
| to produce electricity. | | | | sixteen feet. Unfortunately there are only a |
| | | | few places where this occurs. This means |
| The generation of electricity from tidal | | | | tidal power plants cannot just be constructed |
| waves is similar to that of hydroelectric | | | | anywhere. There are only a handful of sites |
| power generation. Bigger dams, known as | | | | on Earth with this type of tidal range. At |
| barrages, are built on the bottom of a tidal | | | | present, France is the only country that has |
| basin. Gates on the barrage allow the tidal | | | | been successful in using tidal power. It is |
| basin to fill during incoming high tides. | | | | hoped developments in technology, through |
| Likewise, the basin will empty through a | | | | research, will be made to allow better use of |
| turbine during the outgoing tide. This would | | | | this, what is now, wasted energy. The future |
| turn an electric generator for the production | | | | of tidal energy seems hopeful. Tidal power |
| of electricity. There are also systems that | | | | has great potential and hopefully we can make |
| generate electricity from incoming and | | | | better use of it in the future in our quest |
| outgoing tides. This system can have a | | | | to find a replacement for fossil fuels. |