The power of the ocean is one of the three natural power resources, along with wind and sun. The fourth one is geothermal, although we will leave that for now. The sun and the wind are fickle. The tides come and go, predictably. The long-term solution is deep ocean currents, but for now, they wait their time.
The advent of giant batteries is making tidal more feasible. A private developer is working on a pilot study for the MeyGen project, whereby 269 underwater turbines could power 175,000 homes. This is a major step forward towards 100% green energy.
Tapping the Power of the Ocean in Fast-Moving Water
The site of the development is off the northern tip of Scotland, where fast-moving water passes between the Orkney Isles and mainland Caithness.
The flows here are the strongest in the UK. In fact, estimates by The Guardian suggest that Scotland holds 25% of Europe’s entire tidal potential.
The underwater turbines will be 50 feet tall, compared to wind turbines that are often four times that height. The sixty-foot rotor is also correspondingly smaller. Water is eight hundred times denser than air. This makes a five mile per hour current equivalent to a 200 mile per hour wind.
Current Status of the Scottish MeyGen Project
The MeyGen project has been quietly proceeding since 2015. Miles of underwater tunnels are ready to bring electricity to an onshore conversion facility. This is already fully functional. Each turbine will have capacity to power up to 600 homes. The first four will deliver power in 2017.
We have to balance the benefits of invisibility against the environmental cost. The equipment is more expensive hence presumably a greater carbon footprint. We also have to think of the fishes swimming in the ocean. Time will tell. For a long as we use electricity, the power of the ocean seems like a no-brainer choice.
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