The UK government is offering subsidies to companies developing tidal technology, recognising the potential of tidal power as a renewable energy source. While great progress has been made in recent years in exploiting wind and solar technologies, energy from tidal power represents an untapped resource. Water is nearly 1,000 times more dense than air, which makes the energy it generates far more concentrated. In addition, tides are predictable, in contrast to the intermittency of wind and solar energy, making tidal power a reliable source of energy 24/7.
Tidal power production has yet to be developed at scale because of the engineering challenges of operating in a harsh marine environment. But British companies are at the forefront of the effort to harvest tidal power, with designs for an underwater kite that “flies” in the water to maximise the speed of rotor spin. In addition, turbines can be planted on the seafloor, spinning or “flying” as the water flows past.
The Scottish company MeyGen has installed the biggest array of underwater turbines, while Orbital Marine Power has developed the most powerful tidal stream turbine in the world. In the Faroe Islands, the Minesto “Dragon” exploits the effect of flying in a figure of eight to lift a submersible turbine powered by tidal currents.
While tidal power is more expensive than wind and solar alternatives, government subsidies are making it possible. Under the scheme, the government guarantees it will buy the electricity produced by the tidal stream energy projects for an artificially high price – £198 per megawatt-hour. That’s far more than the price paid for nuclear or solar power. Advocates are predicting that tidal
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