Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future
Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides.
1. Tidal Energy is Renewable
Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected. The gravitational relationship between the Earth and the moon is extremely stable in the long term just like solar, wind and geothermal energy.
2. Tidal Energy is Green
The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. However, the marine ecosystem is fragile and great care must be taken to avoid interfering with the lives of organisms that depend on the tide.
3. Tidal Energy is Predictable
One advantage tidal energy has over solar, wind and geothermal energy is its predictability. The pattern of tides is extremely stable and not strongly affected by weather conditions which suggests that it would be a very stable source of green energy. The regularity of the tides gives engineers a very good idea of the conditions under which tidal energy turbines must operate.
4. Tidal Energy is Effective at Low Speeds
The slow and continuous movement of the tides can effectively generate electrical energy because of the high density of water compared to air. Moving water can exert a much greater force on a turbine than wind which means the turbine can turn slowly and still produce a great deal of electricity. The slow and stable tidal forces are ideal parameters for engineering energy solutions. The fact that the turbines can be slow-moving makes it easier to avoid interfering with local ecosystems.
5. Tidal Energy Plants have Long Lifespans
While the initial cost of building tidal energy plants is high, the plants are expected to run for a very long time which will make them more cost-effective in the long run. Solar panels are fragile and require costly maintenance. Wind turbines require a great deal of movement which wears out moving parts. Geothermal energy can rely on exposure to extreme temperature and pressure and the energy source could die out unexpectedly.
Tidal energy offers a clean and renewable alternative to fossil fuel without creating an eyesore and may make a good long-term green energy solution.
About the Author:
Madyson Grant enjoys spending time with her family and in the outdoors. She is currently blogging about the breakthroughs in sustainable energy. Find out more at The OGM.
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