Our planet unleashes awesome passive energy forces and more are being harnessed annually to counter our dependence upon fossil fuels. Wind and solar are primary frontiers right now. In several years it may be tides.Two turbines, each 30 feet wide, are being deployed in Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington to test the feasibility of feeding power from ocean tides into an electrical grid. The effort is the first tidal energy project on the west coast of the United States, and the first array of large-scale turbines to feed power from ocean tides into an electrical grid.
The pilot site lies roughly 200 feet below the surface of Admiralty Inlet, where researchers have measured currents of up to 8 knots, or 9 miles per hour.
Scientists connected with the project admit there is very little information about the environmental effects of tidal turbines. This installation will have the most comprehensive environmental monitoring of any tidal project so far.
One commented, “There’s surprisingly little known about the oceanography of these very fast waters. These kinds of tidal channels where water is going very fast only happen in a few areas, and have not been well studied. The currents are so fast that it’s hard to operate vehicles and maintain equipment. And it’s too deep for conventional scuba diving.”
This project brings to mind other areas in the world which have surging tides. In Canada one of the most significant is the Bay of Fundy which has a variation of up to 55 feet in tidal levels and a twice daily surge of 115 billion tons of water. Scientists have long discussed tidal power generation for this area.
It seems the wind, the sun, the earth, and the sea provide infinite possibilities for passive energy production. The key lies in a delicate balance between technological advances and environmental implications.
Via Futurity
