Generating Power

[naomi24]

With all the controversy over fracking, nuclear power, etc, etc., with a good deal of the earth covered in water, it seems to me that with a little innovation, we have potentially all the power we'll ever need. Why can't we harness the power of the sea?

[EDDIE51]

There are tidal power stations already naomi. Problem is a lot of places are too far from the sea and tidal power is very expensive.

[EDDIE51]

A lot of information here
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/tidal.htm

[EDDIE51]

Not as 'green' as you may think click on 'disadvantages' .

[naomi24]

I don't accept the reason that some places aren't near the sea, but I do accept the financial considerations. However, it is an endless supply, so wouldn't it be worth the investment in the long term?

[naomi24]

I doubt anything is totally 'green'.

[factor-fiction]

>so wouldn't it be worth the investment in the long term?

If companies think it is worthwhile they will invest in it. Whether there is a case for government subsidies to encourage them to invest, I don't know

[tamborine]

1.Mills at river weirs to harness power.
2.gases at land fill sites
3.Oil (used) for generators
4.gases from effluent sites (6 nr H'row)

[naomi24]

It would be good to see some sort of international effort in operation. That would cure the world's energy problems for good. Can't see it happening though. It's just a pipe dream, so to speak. ;o)

[EDDIE51]

Underwater turbines , like wind turbines but under the sea to catch the tide would work, but they only generate power twice a day with the tide.

[KARL]

There are a number of experimental installations operating and others in early stages of development plus no doubt quite a few barely on the drawing board. The principles behind the designs vary and many among the ingenious as well as those in the mainstream scientific community believe that the power of currents and waves will eventually be harnessed on a large scale. The issue is not just how to do it (it has been demonstrated that it can be done) but power generation systems that are at present in use are well established, carbon fuel costs are not high enough to generate truly serious financial interest in alternatives and there is a lot of inertia to overcome when promoting new ideas.

[bert_h]

The so-called 'power of the sea' is no such thing, nor is there an 'endless supply' of it. Extracting power from the sea's tidal rise and fall translates directly into extracting some of the moon's orbital energy, causing it to recede slightly, with a corresponding slight reduction in the tidal rise and fall.

For clean safe nuclear fusion power, check the ITER project in the south of France.

[plowter]

There are a number of wave power testing sites off Orkney, Shetland and Sutherland. There's also a tidal energy convertor being trialled at Strangford Loch.

http://www.pelamiswave.com/our-projects
http://www.seageneration.co.uk/

All this testing seems to be taking a long time. Where's all this 'free' green energy we were promised? Harrumph.

[jake-the-peg]

The problem is the same as with most 'renewables' that of control

You can't suddenly whistle upa storm when there's a big demand.

Part of that problem is it's very difficult to store electricity for use later - crack that problem and a lot of our energy worries go away.

That's not to say you can't make some use of tidal and wave power and people are doing it but you don't get as much as you might think

[Khandro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER

[jake-the-peg]

I don't think that's quite what Naomi had in mind Khandro :c)

[jim360]

I don't think it would solve our energy problems for good, but we probably ought to make much more use of tidal power than we do now. But it would need more than just a little innovation, and also political will.

[jake-the-peg]

I think the Severn Barrage was the most practical option

It was claimed to have had the potential to supply 5% of the country's electricity and cost about the same as HS2

In the end the enviromental impact was deemed too great

[Old_Geezer]

Blow these small projects. You just need to build a Dyson sphere. Even half a one would help.

[Wordist]

Bert-h. Are you saying that harnessing the power of the tides will alter the orbit of the moon? I really can'tsee that.

[bert_h]

@Wordist, it's simple conservation of energy, the inverse square law of gravitational attraction, and the fact that seabed friction already causes the ocean's tidal bulge to lag slightly behind the moon, and therefore slow it up. A tidal barrage holds the bulge back some more, so it will slow the moon up more. This was all covered in first year at university, some of it in Physics and the rest in Astronomy. We could all see it then, so I'm sorry, I can't help any more if you can't see it now.