| Tidal power is using the tides to extract
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| | would be used specifically in remote
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| energy to convert into electricity. The
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| | areas such as the Highlands and Islands
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| tides are the result of the gravitational
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| | of Scotland.
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| force between the Earth and Moon. On a
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| | World wide only about 20 sites have been
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| daily basis this force pulls up tons of
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| | identified as having the potential to
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| water, thus the tides. The tides are
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| | harness the power from the waves. This
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| also brought back down, allowing for
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| | is due to the fact that between 12 and 18
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| tidal power to be used twice daily, which
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| | feet difference (called 'head') between
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| would sum to about 10 hours. Tidal power
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| | high and low tide is needed, and very few
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| is catching this water when it is at high
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| | areas experience this range of heights.
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| tide and storing it in reservoir type
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| | (In the United States one of the only
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| structures until the time of low tide.
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| | usable sites is at Nantucket, though it
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| During low tide, the water is released,
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| | is unlikely that they will begin
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| allowing it to flow back out to sea
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| | construction due to the unpleasing
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| through the turbines, and thus generating
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| | appearance of the plants)
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| power. In order to create a tidal plant,
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| | Another option yet to be completely
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| we build a dam, called a barrage, at the
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| | explored would be to use offshore
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| bottom of a tidal basin. This includes a
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| | turbines
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| device called a sluice, which opens up
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| | (Somewhat comparable to an underwater
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| allowing the tide to come in at high
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| | wind farm.) These would be quite a lot
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| tide. This water rushes past a turbine
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| | cheaper than building the large-scale
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| that is attached to a generator, or in
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| | bridges and wouldn't pose such risks to
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| some cases the water pushes air through
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| | the environment. There are many more
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| tunnels that then act like wind through a
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| | potential sites for this type of
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| turbine. When it is time for the tide to
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| | technology than the current tidal
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| go out at low tide, the function of the
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| | technologies. Some would speculate that
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| sluice reverses and the water flows back
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| | these would pose risk to marine life, but
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| out through the turbines.
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| | it has been pointed out that they pose
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| History
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| | far less risk than the propellers on
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| Utilizing the tides was first done in the
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| | ships, as they are both stationary and
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| 18th century to compete with windmills
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| | rotate 10 times more slowly.
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| and another water technology--water
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| | Advantages and Disadvantages:
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| wheels. Water mills were quite popular
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| | Once constructed, it is a free source.
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| but became scarce once the steam engine
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| | No greenhouse or other gas emissions.
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| gained its popularity. Tidal power
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| | Reliable.
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| plants have not traditionally been a
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| | Inexpensive to maintain.
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| popular way to convert energy into
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| | Tides are very predictable.
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| electricity.
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| | Needs to be close to the coast.
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| Current Usage
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| | Not a continual energy supply throughout
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| Presently France is the only country that
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| | the day.
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| successfully uses the tides as a power
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| | Not aesthetically pleasing.
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| source. In their country, tidal power
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| | Tidal power has the potential to one-day
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| accounts for just about 240 megawatts of
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| | account for one fiftieth of our total
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| power at the world's largest tidal
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| | power consumption, so they could never
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| plant--the La Rance. This facility was
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| | solve our current energy dilemma. They
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| constructed in 1966, and is currently
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| | could provide assistance, but never more
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| Europe's only tidal plant. This plant
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| | than that--we could not totally rely on
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| provides roughly enough energy to fuel
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| | this technology. The greatest drawback
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| 240,000 homes. Though the energy source
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| | is that we know little about the effect
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| is both reliable and plentiful,
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| | this has on marine life. There is always
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| extracting usable power from it is not.
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| | a potential threat to the natural
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| Future
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| | ecosystems when we disrupt nature's
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| The comparison between tidal energy now
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| | processes, and the ocean is no exception.
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| and wind energy 10 years ago has been
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| | The reduced tidal flow that Tidal energy
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| made. Researchers are hopeful that
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| | systems cause has environmental impacts
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| developments to the technology can be
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| | on tidal basins because they decrease the
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| made. One offshoot of tidal power that
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| | flow of the tides and also silt buildup.
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| is currently being researched is the
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| | There is speculation that if we use this
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| possibility of using the energy extracted
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| | technology to a great degree the tides
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| from waves to produce hydrogen for fuel
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| | will slow down, posing a great treats to
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| or fuel cells. There is hope that this
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| | the ecosystem.
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