| Tidal Power, often referred to as tidal energy, is | | | | renewable energy. This is because ocean tides |
| achieved through the capture of the energy created | | | | especially are caused by the orbit of our solar system. |
| as water moves in ocean currents and tides. Two | | | | Ocean currents, as part of this process, happen |
| types of tidal power can be harnessed for | | | | because of the way winds are affected on the earths |
| energy-efficient power. The first is called kinetic | | | | surface. This tidal power supply is, thus, deemed |
| energy. This is tidal power directly created as the | | | | inexhaustible. The primary energy source here is the |
| water is moving in rivers and in oceans as tides. The | | | | kinetic energy produced by the orbit of the system of |
| tidal power that requires one more step, called potential | | | | earth and moon, and earth and sun. Tidal power has |
| energy, comes from the difference between low and | | | | an excellent potential as a future source of the |
| hide tide height. This height is commonly referred to as | | | | generation of electricity because the energy |
| head. The kinetic tidal power process uses turbines to | | | | generated by these galactic rotations will continue |
| produce the renewable energy. To understand this | | | | unabated forever - or so scientists believe. Tidal |
| process think of windmills and visualize them | | | | power is not something new, however. European tidal |
| underwater - this is the means for kinetic tidal power. It | | | | mills have been a part of grain grinding operations for |
| is becoming increasingly more popular because its | | | | almost one thousand years. How efficient tidal ocean |
| impact on our ecology is so much less dramatic than | | | | dam power is depends on the height of the tidal swells |
| the building of dams, or what some refer to as tidal | | | | rise and fall. This is commonly referred to as amplitude. |
| fences or barrages. The United States and other | | | | This amplitude can be as high as 33 feet 10 meters. |
| countries across the globe are studying their coastal | | | | This occurs where the tidal waves are funneled into |
| areas with an eye for the suitability of the region for | | | | fjords or rivers and water velocity is extreme. The |
| the production of kinetic tidal power. The ideal of these | | | | speed of the water might be as fast as 16 knots. One |
| have high speeds of the water that occurs in the local | | | | example of this is Vancouver Island in Canada. Even |
| channels as they enter the river or bay. Water | | | | greater amplitude is experiences in the Bay of Fundy, |
| currents in rivers that run between islands are | | | | where the amplitude might reach 56 feet 17 meters. |
| especially good for tidal power as the currents there | | | | This is because the tides resonance amplifies the |
| are highly concentrated and often quite powerful. Tidal | | | | ocean waves. Thus, we see that the selection of the |
| power, with solar and wind energy, are one of the | | | | right location for a tidal power generator is crucial to its |
| most popular and well-touted of the sources of | | | | success as an efficient source of green energy. |