|
|
Tides
The world's ocean may eventually provide us with energy, to power our homes and businesses. At the moment, most ocean energy power plants are experimental at the time being.
There are three ways to use the ocean for its energy. We can use the ocean's waves, high and low tides, or temperature differences in the water.
When the tides comes into the shore, they can be trapped in reservoirs behind dams. Then when the tide drops, the water behind the dam will be let out just like in a regular hydroelectric power plant.
In order for this to work, you would need large increases in tides. An increase of at least 16 feet between low tide to high tide is needed. There are only a few places where this tide change occurs around the earth. Some power plants are already operating using this idea. One plant in France makes enough energy from tides to power 240,000 homes.
Pictures
Advantage and Disadvantages(Questions):
a) Is the energy source renewable?
Yes, there is going to always be water on the earth, and there's always going to be the certain situation for the use of tides to produce energy.
b) Does the energy resource produce much power, enough for a home, village, city from one power plant?
This form of energy cannot produce that much energy because of the limited areas where you can use tides. Although, some can power small villages and myabe cities.
c) Is the energy resource available all the time?
This form of energy is only available during the raising and lowering of the tides.
d) Does the energy resource need to be transported to the power plant?
No, collectors that implement tides are directly in the river or stream.
e)Does the power from the plant have to be transported over long distances?
Sometimes, it does because the plant has to be located at a certain location so power lines have to bring the energy to the user.
f)Is the energy resource polluting (in transportation, power production or with waste products)?
Using tides as energy is not polluting in any way because it doesn't release anything harmful.
g)Is the energy resource plentiful?(in how many parts of the world?)
The energy resource can only be found in certain areas and is not that plentiful, there's a very strict set of standards for tides to be implemented.
h)How expensive is it to produce the power?
Once, the plant is established, maintaining it doesn't require very much money but the building of the plant requires a fair bit of money.
i)Is the technology for the energy resource easy to use?
No, only people with experience will probably be able to operate the plant that implements tides.
j)Can this energy resource provide power for automobiles?
No, a car cannot go into the water to use tides as an energy source.
k)How much technology is currently available for this energy resource?
Using tides is not that popular so not much people consider it as an alternative. Although in Europe there is many areas that use tides for energy.
Ratings
From 1 to 5
a)Renewable or Non Renewable 5
b)Enough power for a city, for a village or for a home? 3
c)Available all the time, part of time or seldom? 3
d)Resources shipped long, or short? 4
e)Plant can be close to users or far away. 3
f)Non-Polluting or Polluting? 5
g)Plentiful or scarce? 3
h)Expensive or cheap? 3
i)Easy to use or hard to use? 2
j)Could power automobiles. 1
k)Currently available and widespread or scarce. 2
|
