AUG 13

....why wasn't the US the country installing the largest tidal terbine? Maine has one of the largest tidal loops in the world...over 50 feet. Seems strange that the US can't lead in these things. Guess when you are paralyzed by an economic downturn job creating energy initiatives are not allowed!! Who would want to take money away from the fossil fuel producers?!!

The last line really rings true in light of the deep horizon disaster. The ocean can be a tricky thing to operate in. However, I surmise that if all the investment in deep sea oil exploration was channeled into tidal energy, we would be decades ahead in this area.

Hey! I left a comment, but it says there have been no comments. What gives?

Think of placing these all along the east coast in the gulf stream. It flows 24/7/365. There is a large current on the west coast too, just don't recall it's name. I guess draw back is you have to go off the coast a bit more to be in the stream.

when we've got all that oil and coal and nuclear? The US energy industry is dominated by these interests and pretty much still has the congress wrapped around their fingers.

Until we can break the stranglehold of the fossil fuel industry, the US will continue to lag in energy efficiency and conservation, and in the design and implementation of renewable energy solutions.

Also, remember that even this tidal power setup is all about maintaining a utility perspective. THEY own the power, YOU pay them every month. There is little momentum for helping individual users become energy independent. That's where WE all have to come into play.

Stop using things that require or use substantially less electricity, and gas etc.

Think about what might happen if there was sufficient energy removal from the Gulf Stream to effect its flow. You might end up with a catastrophic change in ocean current circulation resulting is major unintended consequences to climate.

Does anyone know the speed of the Gulf Stream? Look it up. Compared with cut in speeds of tidal turbines I think you'll find it's pretty slow.

Tidal energy generation currently needs headlands, islands, channels etc. to focus the power, accelerating it up to the cut in speeds of the current production tidal turbines (ie 2.6m/s in above article). These spots are the sweet spots where the first generation of tidal turbines will be tested. If they make it into mainstream volume production and become more efficient, more cost effective, etc. then they'll start working down to the lower speed sites of large ocean currents. Just the same way that the wind energy industry has developed. Tidal is currently 20-30 years behind wind energy industry but will potentially develop faster due to modern CFD, production technology and dual looming crises of peak oil and climate change.

Re removing large chunks of the Gulf Stream flow: Yip. It's been thought of. Look up papers on resource assessment and impact assessment for tidal schemes in Bay of Fundy, Puget Sound, West Coast of Britain, Pentland Firth, Martha's Vineyard. Basically the amount of energy we can currently capture is a drop in the ocean if you'll excuse the pun. However you're right, if this technology goes ahead too fast with no planning there are pitfalls to avoid. We are a looooong way from that at present.

Hope that helps.

Tim Divett
PhD Student (Tidal Energy)
University of Otago, New Zealand
NIWA, NZ

This machine actually weighs in at 1300 tonnes (rather than the 130 tonnes in the article).

This suggests that an economically viable version may be some way off.

Are there any protective boundaries being placed around these turbines to guard marine animals from being sliced and diced?

I think we really need to get clobbered in the head a few hundred more times before we turn this ship of fools around. We need more Deepwater Horizon, New town creak, Exxon Valdez, coal and nuclear accidents before we realize this is not what we want. We only react in a fear based senerio.

http://www.oceanrenewablepower.com/home.htm

Here's a link to what's going on RE tidal energy in Alaska. There's lots to figure out, regarding impact on whales, fisheries, turbulence in the shipping path, etc. But things are moving...

I am also concerned about the effects of tidal turbines on marine life? How does this giant turbine interact/detract/contribute to the biodiversity of the habitat it essentially invades? I am all for alternative energy and renewable resources, but at what costs? Using less energy seems to be the only viable solution to the crisis we now face.