Tidal Power
Tidal Energy
Tidal energy is also known as tidal power, it is a form of hydropower that converts the energy collected from ocean tides into useful types of power, most specifically electricity. Tidal energy has been around for many years but the use of it today is minimal at best. Being that tidal energy relies solely on the oceans’ tides, which are always there and always will be, it has the potential to be a front-runner in the coming future of electricity. Though it is not yet a top source of renewable energy it is much more reliable than others; like wind and solar. Still, there is some debate over whether or not it is worth pursuing based on both the advantages and disadvantages of this alternative energy source. Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy; it has been around since the 11th century, at least. England was one of the first to put to good use the power of water. (The Energy Story) They used water wheels or watermills to generate mechanical power to mill grain, produce flour for bread, malt for beer, etc. (World Colleges Information) Like watermills, small tidal mills were used along portions of rivers to grind corn. (Renewable Energy) Though it is one of the oldest forms of energy, it is also one of the least known and used. (Water Wheel) Still, there are ways of harnessing it and while it has not evolved much since the Middle Ages there have been and continue to be advancements. It is only recently that the idea of exploiting the full power of the tides in estuaries has taken off. Tides can be defined as the rise and fall of the ocean water in coastal areas, usually occurring twice in a 24-hour period. Though it is mostly due to the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth, the Sun also contributes to this phenomenon. It is the interacting movements of the Earth, Moon and Sun with which these tides originate from. During a full or new moon all three factors are positioned in a straight line and thus create much larger spring
Tidal energy is also known as tidal power, it is a form of hydropower that converts the energy collected from ocean tides into useful types of power, most specifically electricity. Tidal energy has been around for many years but the use of it today is minimal at best. Being that tidal energy relies solely on the oceans’ tides, which are always there and always will be, it has the potential to be a front-runner in the coming future of electricity. Though it is not yet a top source of renewable energy it is much more reliable than others; like wind and solar. Still, there is some debate over whether or not it is worth pursuing based on both the advantages and disadvantages of this alternative energy source. Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy; it has been around since the 11th century, at least. England was one of the first to put to good use the power of water. (The Energy Story) They used water wheels or watermills to generate mechanical power to mill grain, produce flour for bread, malt for beer, etc. (World Colleges Information) Like watermills, small tidal mills were used along portions of rivers to grind corn. (Renewable Energy) Though it is one of the oldest forms of energy, it is also one of the least known and used. (Water Wheel) Still, there are ways of harnessing it and while it has not evolved much since the Middle Ages there have been and continue to be advancements. It is only recently that the idea of exploiting the full power of the tides in estuaries has taken off. Tides can be defined as the rise and fall of the ocean water in coastal areas, usually occurring twice in a 24-hour period. Though it is mostly due to the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth, the Sun also contributes to this phenomenon. It is the interacting movements of the Earth, Moon and Sun with which these tides originate from. During a full or new moon all three factors are positioned in a straight line and thus create much larger spring
Cited: Boyle, Godfrey. "Tidal Power." Renewable Energy. Oxford: Oxford UP in Association with the Open University, 2004. 196-241. Print. Charlier, Roger Henri "Gorlov Helical Turbine." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 March 2012. . "Tidal Power." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 March 2012. .