Tidal Energy Pros and Cons

Tidal energy, also referred to as the tidal power, is a renewable source of energy produced by harnessing the kinetic energy of ocean currents and tides. Though tidal energy is still in its infancy stage, it does show signs of having a bright future. Some of the most prominent tidal energy facts, such as a total capacity of producing 64,000 MWe (megawatt electrical) power and being much more reliable than solar and wind energy, has made experts believe that this source does have the capacity to become a major source of power for human beings in the time to come. But do these claims really hold ground? One has to take all the tidal energy pros and cons into consideration before expecting any such miracle from this source of power, allegedly still in its early stage.

Tidal Energy Pros and Cons

Exploitation of kinetic energy of the oceans can be traced back to as early as the middle ages, when it was harnessed to operate huge mills in Europe and some parts of the United States. As technology advanced, this source of power just became better. Today, tidal energy is harnessed by building a huge dam across the river estuary. The dam also features some tunnels, built in such a manner, that whenever the water goes in (high tide) and out (low tide) it flows through these tunnels, and rotates the turbines, which in turn generate electricity. The process might seem quite easy, but there are a few complications involved. Given below are the various pros and cons of tidal energy which need to be taken into consideration to decide whether to go for this source of energy or not.

Pros of Tidal Energy
The fact that tidal energy is a non-polluting source of energy is by far its biggest advantage. At this point of time, when serious question are being raised about the pollutive nature of fossil fuels, tidal power comes as the best source of clean energy, which neither generate waste nor harmful emissions. More importantly, it is a source of renewable energy, as the gravity of moon will continue to trigger tides on the planet in the future. This sustainability again gives it an edge over fossil fuels which are on the brink of exhaustion. When compared with other alternative energy sources, such as solar energy and wind energy, tidal energy is much more reliable owing to the fact that tides are predictable. Other than this, the barrage (the dam) built to harness tidal energy also doubles up as a protective covering for the coastline in times of rough weather. Though the high cost incurred as initial investment is bound to raise some eyebrows, this is expected to change as technology continues to advance and cost continues to go down.

Cons of Tidal Energy
Everything doesn't work in favor of tidal energy though. Some aspects of tidal power generation need to be subjected to a thorough inspection before giving a nod to its development. Building a dam (barrage) on the river estuary is a major environmental concern, as it is bound to affect the biodiversity of this region. Exposure to the rotating turbines will affect the marine life, while blocking the water is bound to affect the salinity levels by altering the flow of the water. Environmentalists are totally against the development of power at the cost marine life and environment. More importantly, the development of tidal power has specific geographical requirements, which again put it on a disadvantage by limiting its scope in several regions of the world. On the economic front, the technology is quite expensive, and is still believed to be in its infancy stage. This makes it difficult to invest in this technology on the basis of some assumptions, especially when the commercial value is yet to be proved.

These were some of the most prominent tidal energy pros and cons which need to be taken into consideration when contemplating the use of tidal power as an alternative to the conventional sources of power. Other than taking note of these tidal energy advantages and disadvantages, we also need to understand the fact that the future of energy can't just rely on one source. Going by the current trends, the energy requirements of human beings are bound to increase manifold in the near future. In such circumstances, it is wiser to resort to a couple of efficient and clean energy sources, rather than trying to find out a single perfect one.