People are often reluctant to change and fear transitioning from nuclear and fossil fuels will leave them in the dark. Besides solar and wind, other greener technologies have been making great strides including harnessing the power of the seas.
A huge new tidal power generator with less environmental impact than previous designs is being tested in Ramsey Sound off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tidal Energy’s “Ysbryd y Mor” or Spirit of the Sea will provide 400 kilowatts of energy to the national grid. The new technology is in a year long trial period. If all goes well, Tidal Energy plans to install nine more units adding 10 megawatts of energy or enough power for 10,000 homes. Unlike older units, the Spirit is on a freestanding platform secured by weights eliminating the need for expensive and destructive sea floor drilling.
It’s one of the world’s first grid connected tidal wave energy projects and the first to have the turbine and foundation installed simultaneously. Others looking to the sea for power include, Halcyon Tidal Power which has proposed an installation in the American waters of Cobscook Bay, Maine with enough power for 13,000 homes. The “tidal Barrage” technology uses falling and rising tides to create power. The barrage model is already in use in Canada, France and South Korea, but the Halcyon version goes further to minimize environmental impacts.
Tidal Energy’s Delta Stream Technology:
http://www.tidalenergyltd.com/?page_id=1373
Halcyon Tidal Power Barrage Technology in Portland Press Herald:
http://www.pressherald.com/2014/08/05/tidal-power-venture-seeks-public-support-investors/
Climate Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/07/3468583/major-milestone-tidal-power-wales/