Wave & Tital Energy
Just Roll On In
By: Katie, Kellen & Andie
What is it?
Special buoys, turbines, and other technologies can capture the power of waves and tides and convert it into clean, pollution-free electricity. Like other renewable resources, both wave and tidal energy are variable in nature. Waves are produced by winds blowing across the surface of the ocean.
Advantages
- Tidal energy will not run out very soon! Tidal energy is free, non-polluting, no waste is produced.
- Maintenance costs are very low.
- Has efficiency of approximately 80%
- Has positive impact on climate change because it produces no greenhouse gas emissions.
- Tidal forces have their origin in the gravitational interaction with the Moon and Sun, meaning that we could harness tidal power as long as Moon and Sun continue to exist.
Disadvantages
- Power stations only generate power when the tide is flowing in or out of the basin, which only happens during certain times of the day
- The start up costs to build a tidal energy plant is high. It takes about 18,193,683,495.09
- Can only produce electricity during tidal surges which is in average around 10 hours each day
- Can lead to environmental damage
- Frames of the turbines have potential to disrupt the movement of large marine animals; also, the construction of tidal power plant can disrupt fish migration in the oceans.
Currently Going On..
The Scottish Coast & Energy
In Stromness, Scotland sailers and engineers were out at the Scottish island of Orkney. Timo Lotti and everyone was gathered at the energy source to be removed for the next location. He had his crew move the 32 yard long machine which actually was slightly damaged. The plan was to place the energy source in the rough and stormy waters to keep the seas open and possibly for traveling. Although Mr. Lotti is trying to fix the waves and tidal problems, he still faces the facts that the decline of traditional island industries of fishing are occurring. But in return the is massive project is giving and supporting jobs to those who need them in Orkney.
Once the prototype was finished, the final goal was if it works than this country can be able to survive and have a prosperous future. This experiment was one of the most expensive ones as well for this country, but the people are willing to try anything.
Picking Up Momentum in London
The waters are not so nice to most countries now a days. In London, the rough waters are effecting their tidal energy plans. There is two options named would be 1. Traditional dam-based plants. 2. Tidal stream generators, built like underwater windmills. Because of the situation they have at hand, trying any solution is their best solution. This solution comes with a high price tag to construct, but also comes with high results once completed. Given 10 million dollars by the help of the U.S. Department of Energy will help the project and have the possible results are hat wave and tidal power could meet 15 percent of U.S. electricity needs by 2030.
London had hit a bump in the road when the plans of where to run the lines would go. The government denied the plans and eventually put the installment plans on hold for now. Everyday the workers push forward to reconstruct the plan.