TIDAL ENERGY WHICH IS CLEAN, GREEN&SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Abstract: Energy can be extracted from tides by creating a reservoir or basin behind a barrage and then passing tidal waters through turbines in the barrage to generate electricity. Tidal energy is extremely site specific requires mean tidal differences greater than 4 meters and also favorable topographical conditions, such as estuaries or certain types of bays in order to bring down costs of dams etc. Both tidal stream and wave power devices have suffered from stringent economic assessments which have cut off R&D. The total tidal stream resource is assessed as low (by the Carbon Trust) thus banishing it to the fringe, and tidal lagoons get contrasting pro and anti-assessments while the Severn mega-barrage gets optimistic treatment. We find good reasons to distrust narrow economics, driven by interested parties. However active engagement requires us to define and cover the range of non-monetary issues - including learning and technology enhancement, decentralized power, and wider environmental and socio-economic benefits. The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) currently has the task of addressing the tidal power area, but has run restricted events dominated by an in-group of official bodies and project promoters. With WWF and FOE arguing different options, we on the fringe need to understand and discuss the issues in a tidal context, and to make an input into the SDC process and the 2007 Energy Review.

INTRODUCTION:
Non-conventional energy sources can be replenished in a short period of time. They are basically five types which include tide, wind, solar, bio-mass and geo-thermal. Tide is nothing but the natural rise and fall of coastal waters caused principally by the interaction of the gravitational fields of the sun and the moon. This paper provides a review of tidal power development and global picture with particular reference to the Indian scenario. Tidal energy is one of the renewable energy sources that could be used without producing by-products that are harmful to nature. WHAT IS TIDAL ENERGY? Tidal energy is the utilization of the sun and moon's gravitational forces - as tides are formed by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the oceans of the rotating earth. Tides can be found with varying degrees of strength on any coastline, and sometimes even at sea, although these are better known as currents. A flood tide is one that is coming in or rising and an ebb tide is one that is going out. Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy used as evidence of tide mills from before 1100AD has been found along the coast of France, Spain and the UK. If there is one thing we can safely predict and be sure if on this planet, it is the coming and going of the tide. This gives this form of renewable energy a distinct advantage over other sources that are not as predictable and reliable, such as wind or solar. The Department of Trade and Industry has stated that

almost 10% of the United Kingdoms electricity needs could be met by tidal power. Why do the tides come and go? It is all to do with the gravitational force of the Moon and Sun, and also the rotation of the Earth. This is displayed in the following diagram
.

Figure 1 Gravitational effect of the Sun and the Moon on tidal range(Adapted from Boyle, 1996)

Sourced: (ACRE) Australian CRC for Renewable Energy LTD

The diagram shows how the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun affect the tides on Earth. The magnitude of this attraction depends on the mass of the object and its distance away. The moon has the greater effect on earth

despite having less mass than the sun because it is so much closer. The gravitational force of the moon causes the oceans to bulge along an axis pointing directly at the moon. The rotation of the earth causes the rise and fall of the tides. When the sun and moon are in line their gravitational attraction on the earth combine and cause a spring tide. When they are as positioned in the first diagram above, 90 from each other, their gravitational attraction each pulls water in different directions, causing a neap tide. The rotational period of the moon is around 4 weeks, while one rotation of the earth takes 24 hours; this results in a tidal cycle of around 12.5 hours. This tidal behavior is easily predictable and this means that if harnessed, tidal energy could generate power for defined periods of time. These periods of generation could be used to offset generation from other forms such as fossil or nuclear which have environmental consequences. Although this means that supply will never match demand, offsetting harmful forms of generation is an important starting point for renewable energy.

State of the art / Current Status

There are two options for getting energy from the tide, a tidal barrage or utilizing tidal streams. HOW IT WORKS: These work rather like a hydro-electric scheme, except that the dam is much bigger. A huge dam (called a "barrage") is built across a river estuary. When the tide goes in and out, the water flows through tunnels in the dam. The ebb and flow of the tides can be used to turn a turbine, or it can be used to push air

through a pipe, which then turns a turbine. Large lock gates, like the ones used on canals, allow ships to pass. If one was built across the Severn Estuary, the tides at Weston-super-Mare would not go out nearly as far -there'd be water to play in for most of the time. But the Severn Estuary carries sewage and other wastes from many places (e.g. Bristol & Gloucester) out to sea. A tidal barrage would mean that this stuff would hang around Weston-super-Mare an awful lot longer! Also, if you're a wading bird that feeds on the exposed mud flats when the tide goes out, then you have a problem, because the tide won't be going out properly any more Electricity is generated by water flowing both inwards and out of a bay. There are periods of maximum generation every twelve hours, with no electricity generation at the six-hour mark in between. The turbines may also be used as pumps to pump extra water into the basin behind the dam at times when the demand on electricity is low. This water can later be released when the demand on the system is very high, thus allowing the tidal plant to function likepumped storage" hydroelectricity.

THE TIDAL BARRAGE

Introduction This is where a dam or barrage is built across an estuary or bay that experiences an adequate tidal range. This tidal range has to be in excess of 5 meters for the barrage to be feasible. The purpose of this dam or barrage is to let water flow through it into the basin as the tide comes in. The barrage has gates in it that allow the water to pass through. The gates are closed when the tide has stopped coming in, trapping the water within the basin or estuary and creating a hydrostatic head. As the tide recedes out with the barrage, gates in the barrage

that contain turbines are opened, the hydrostatic head causes the water to come through these gates, driving the turbines and generating power. Power can be generated in both directions through the barrage but this can affect efficiency and the economics of the project. This technology is similar to Hydropower, something that we have a lot of experience with in Scotland. There is potential for a project of this kind in Scotland, one place in particular which has been looked at is the Solway Firth in south west Scotland, where there is a tidal range of 5.5 meters [1-The Open University Renewable energy Pack T251]. The construction of a barrage requires a very long civil engineering project. The barrage will have environmental and ecological impacts not only during construction but will change the area affected forever. Just what these impacts will be is very hard to measure as they are site specific, and each barrage is different.

Current Technology
The following diagram is a simplified version of a tidal barrage.

Figure 2 Ebb generating system with a bulb turbine (Adapted from Energy Authority of NSW tidal Power Fact Sheet) Sourced: (ACRE) Australian CRC for Renewable Energy LTD There are different types of turbines that are available for use in a tidal barrage. A bulb turbine is one in which water flows around the turbine. If maintenance is required then the water must be stopped which causes a problem and is time consuming with possible loss of generation. When rim turbines are used, the generator is mounted at right angles to the to the turbine blades, making access easier. But this type of turbine is not suitable for pumping and it is difficult to regulate its performance. Tubular turbines have been proposed for the UKs most promising site, The Severn Estuary, the blades of this turbine are connected to a long shaft and are orientated at an angle so that the generator is sitting on top of the barrage. The environmental and ecological effects of tidal barrages have halted any progress with this technology and there are only a few commercially operating plants in the world, one of these is the La Rance barrage in France, for more information see the La Rance Case Study.

Figure 3: Bulb Turbine

Sourced: (ACRE) Australian CRC for Renewable Energy LTD

Figure 4: Rim Turbine Sourced: (ACRE) Australian CRC for Renewable Energy LTD

Figure 5: Tubular Turbine Sourced: (ACRE) Australian CRC for Renewable Energy LTD

Pumping
The turbines in the barrage can be used to pump extra water into the basin at periods of low demand. This usually coincides with cheap electricity prices, generally at night when demand is low. The company therefore buys the

electricity to pump the extra water in, and then generates power at times of high demand when prices are high so as to make a profit. This has been used in Hydro Power, and in that context is known as pumped storage. The power available from the turbine at any particular instant is given by:

Where, Cd = Discharge Coefficient A = Cross sectional area (m2) G = gravity = 9.81 r = density (kg/m3) The discharge coefficient accounts for the restrictive effect of the flow passage within the barrage on the passing water. The equation above illustrates how important the difference between the water levels of the sea and the basin, (Z1-Z2), is when calculating the power produced.

Economics:
The capital required to start construction of a barrage has been the main stumbling block to its deployment. It is not an attractive proposition to an investor due to long payback periods. This problem could be solved by government funding or large organizations getting involved with tidal power. In terms of long term costs, once the construction of the barrage is complete, there are very small maintenance and running costs and the turbines only need replacing once around every 30 years. The life of the plant is indefinite and for its entire life it will receive free fuel from the tide. The economics of a tidal barrage are very complicated. The optimum design would be the one that produced the most power but also had the smallest barrage possible.

Social Implications:
The building of a tidal barrage can have many social consequences on the surrounding area. During the construction of the barrage, the amount of traffic and people in the area will increase dramatically and will last for a number of years. The La Rance tidal barrage in France took over 5 years to build. This will also bring revenue to the area from the tourism and hospitality industry that will accommodate all the different types of visitors that the barrage will bring. This will give a boost to the local economy. The barrage can be used as a road or rail link, providing a time saving method of crossing the bay or estuary. There is also the possibility of incorporating wind turbines into the barrage to generate extra power. The

barrage would affect shipping and navigation and provision would have to be made to allow ships to pass through. The bay would become available for recreation; the waters would be calmer not immediately after the barrage but further in towards the land. This would be another tourist attraction and become a feature of the area.

Environmental Aspects
Perhaps the largest disadvantages of tidal barrages are the environmental and ecological affects on the local area. This is very difficult to predict, each site is different and there are not many projects that are available for comparison. The change in water level and possible flooding would affect the vegetation around the coast, having an impact on the aquatic and shoreline ecosystems. The quality of the water in the basin or estuary would also be affected, the sediment levels would change, affecting the turbidity of the water and therefore affecting the animals that live in it and depend upon it such as fish and birds. Fish would undoubtedly be affected unless provision was made for them to pass through the barrage without being killed by turbines. All these changes would affect the types of birds that are in the area, as they will migrate to other areas with more favorable conditions for them. These effects are not all bad, and may allow different species of plant and creature to flourish in an area where they are not normally found. But these issues are very delicate, and need to be independently assessed for the area in question.

TIDAL STREAMS

Introduction Tidal streams are fast flowing volumes of water caused by the motion of the tide. These usually occur in shallow a sea where a natural constriction exists which forces the water to speed up. The technology involved is very similar to wind energy, but there are some differences. Water is 800 times denser than air and has a much slower flowrate; this means that the turbine experiences much larger forces and moments. This results in turbines with much smaller diameters. The turbines must either be able to generate power on both ebbs of the tide or be able to withstand the structural strain. This technology is still in its infancy despite the potential for a reliable and predictable source; therefore it has not been included in the possible technologies discussed with relevance to the Renewable Obligation for Scotland. The experiences from the development of wind power can be applied to the technology. Scotland has a definite potential for tidal stream energy to be converted to electricity, one area of focus is the Pentland Firth off the north coast. Tidal stream technology has the advantage over tidal barrages when you compare environmental and ecological issues. This technology is less intrusive than on and offshore wind, and tidal barrages, any hazard to navigation or shipping would be no more than that experienced by current offshore installations. Tidal Stream systems often have to be installed in difficult coastal waters and the installation and maintenance methods are often complicated, but these hold they key for ensuring the success of the technology.

Current Technology
Energy can be captured from tidal streams using two methods, tidal fences and tidal turbines.

Tidal Fences
These are effectively another form of tidal barrage. They therefore share some of the same environmental and social concerns, but also have the advantage of being able to have the electrical generators and transformers above the water. The flowing diagram shows an example of a tidal fence.

Tidal Turbines
This form of generation has many advantages over its other tidal energy rivals. The turbines are submerged in the water and are therefore out of sight. They dont pose a problem for navigation and shipping and require the use of much less material in construction. They are also less harmful to the environment. They function best in areas where the water velocity is 2 - 2.5 m/s [2-Fujita Research]. Above this level the turbine experiences heavy structural loads and below this not enough generation takes place. The following diagram, figures X!!! is an impression of a tidal turbine farm. One new technology that has been developed is the Stingray. This project has definite potential and planning is underway for a trial in the North of Scotland. For more information see the

Impression of tidal Turbine Farm

Economics:
Tidal stream technology is still in its infancy and therefore there are no comparable projects at the present time. The cost of utilising tidal streams will be very site specific and depend on the technology used. The turbine or other generating plant equipment can be considered to have a similar cost to wind. Once installed, electricity will be produced with no fuel costs and will be completely predictable. Maintenance costs will be the main costs during the life of the project.

Social Implications:
Tidal Streams are common in remote areas. This means that careful consideration of the wishes of the local community is required to ensure the

scheme can work to its potential. Being under water avoids aesthetic problems and shipping and navigation should not be affected provided it is taken into consideration when planning. The scheme can provide employment during construction and operation, which will add to the local economic prosperity. Also, these schemes are unique at present and would help to put the area on the map.

Environmental Aspects:
The environmental effects of utilising tidal streams are in no way as severe as those for a tidal barrage. They will obviously affect the seabed where they are positioned and this might have an effect on the aquatic life in the area. This is again site specific and hard to predict; as long as proper environmental impact assessments are done then this can be avoided or minimised. Comparison of Tidal Barrage and Tidal Stream - different forms of Tidal Energy Tidal range is the difference in height between high and low tide. Tidal stream is the flow of water through channels or around coastlines as a result of tidal water movement. Some people talk of marine currents, as energy in the Gulf Stream and other circulating currents could also be tapped. Barrages to tap the tidal range are sited in upper estuaries, while tidal stream turbines tap the currents in lower estuaries and straits. As a result the two may not conflict. Tidal streams are tapped, in both ebb and flood directions, by submerged turbines. These are much smaller than wind turbines because the power density in water currents is much larger than in air currents. Though tidal barrages have a long history, tidal stream generators are considered much more feasible nowadays A major drawback with the Severn Barrage, and to a lesser

extent Severn tidal lagoons, is the need for supporting power stations to fill in the slack periods. Tidal currents, on the other hand, deliver less discontinuous power than a barrage and if Tidal current technology made use of several sites with a range of Tidal timings it would give reasonably steady overall power. A second drawback of barrages and lagoons is that they change the sedimentation and erosion pattern. This is especially important in the Severn because the strong currents make for very high loading in silt and sand. Note: Spring tides contain about 4 times the energy of Neap tides, and about 10 times the silt loading. Major structures reduce currents, so the silt tends to deposit inside the barrage or lagoon and in backwaters outside the structure. Scour may also be enhanced outside the structure. For the former reasons, proposals for a major barrage in the Bay of Fundy (Annapolis, Canada) have been dropped and, because of shoreline erosion, a causeway is to be removed. Each proposed barrage or lagoon would need specific studies - as far as a scale hydrodynamic model, as done for the old Severn Barrage study - and even then predictions would be uncertain. Marine Current Turbines Ltd: (MCT) has come up with a tidal energy turbine to generate carbon free electricity. The turbines are driven by tides or by oceanic circulations. Now, MCT has successfully installed the worlds first commercial scale tidal energy turbine in Northern Ireland. The tidal energy turbine which looks like a submerged windmill, marks the completion of the first

installation phase of 1.2 MW SeaGen Tidal System. SeaGen is located approximately 400 meters from the shoreline, 1 km south of the ferry route between Stanford and Portaferry. The SeaGen tidal system is expected to be operational later in the summer and has the following interesting features: 16 metre diameter blades has twin rotors will be turned by the water streaming in and out of Strangford Lough at up to 8 knots Weighs 1000 tone will operate for up to 18-20 hours per day can power up 1000 homes Here are some sketches of SeaGen Tidal System.

The Future of Tidal Power:

The high capital costs associated with tidal barrage systems are likely to restrict development of this resource in the near future. The developments that do proceed in the early 21st century will most likely be associated with road and

rail crossings to maximize the economic benefit. There is, however, more interest in entrainment systems now than at any time in the past 20 years and it is increasingly likely that new barrage and lagoon developments will be seen, especially in those locations which offer combination with transport infrastructure. In a future in which energy costs are likely to rise and assuming that low-cost nuclear fusion or other long-term alternatives do not make an unexpectedly early arrival, then tidal barrage schemes could prove to be a major provider of strategic energy in the late 21st century and beyond. The technology for tidal barrage systems is already available and there is no doubt, given the experience at La Rance, that the resource is substantial and available. Full-scale prototype tidal-current systems are now being deployed. If these schemes continue to prove successful, then the first truly commercial developments will appear in the first decade of the 21st century. Tidal-current systems may not yet have the strategic potential of barrage systems but, in the short term at least, they do offer opportunities for supplying energy in rural, coastal and island communities. In the longer term, massive sites such as the Pentland Firth could become strategically important. INDIAN SCENARIO: Since India is surrounded by sea on three sides, its potential to hamess tidal energy has been recognized by the Government of India. Potential sites for tidal power development have already been located. The most attractive locations are the Gulf of Cambay and the Culf of Kachchh on the west coast where the maximum tidal range is 11 m and 8 m with average tidal range of 6.77 m and 5.23 m respectively. The Ganges Delta in the Sunderbans in West Bengal also has good

locations for small scale tidal power development. The maximum tidal range in Sunderbans is approximately 5 m with an average tidal range of 2.97 m. The identified economic tidal power potential in India is of the order of 8000-9000 MW with about 7000 MW in the Gulf of Cambay about 1200 MW in the Gulf of Kachchh and less than 100 MW in Sundarbans. The Kachchh Tidal Power Project with an installed capacity of about 900 MW is estimated to cost about Rs. 1460/crore generating electricity at about 90 paise per unit. The techno-economic feasibility report is now being examined. ADVANTAGES OF TIDAL ENERGY: The most important advantage of tidal energy is its economical benefits, as tidal energy does not require any fuel. Tides rise and fall every day in a very consistent pattern. The economic life of a tidal plant is very high. A plant is expected to be in production for 75 to 100 years, in comparison with the 35 years of a conventional fossil fuel plant. Besides the economical factors, tidal energy is clean and renewable, unlike fossil fuels. Tidal energy offers a lot of potential to be a substitute for hydrocarbon and fossil fuels. A very important feature of tidal energy is that it is non-polluting. A tidal barrage can prevent approximately one million tons of CO2 per TWH generated. A barrage can also safeguard coastlines from storms. DISADVANTAGES OF TIDAL ENERGY: The altering of the ecosystem at the bay is the biggest drawback of tidal power. Damages like reduced flushing, winter icing and erosion can change the vegetation of the area and disrupt the balance. The alteration of tidal currents affects the habitat of the seabirds and the fish. Similar to other ocean energies,

tidal energy has several prerequisites that make it only available in a small number of regions. For a tidal power plant to produce electricity effectively (about 85% efficiency), it requires a basin or a gulf that has a mean tidal amplitude (the differences between spring and neap tide) of 7 meters or above. It is also desirable to have semi-diurnal tides where there are two high and low tides every day. Tides out in the ocean have maximum amplitude of about one meter. As you move closer to shore, this can increase to as high as 12 or more. This can depend on local features such as shelving or funneling meaning the tidal range can vary considerably along any given coastline. This can mean that a lot of places just aren't suitable. When planning the location major consideration has to be given to see whether the tides are high enough and if there is a suitable place for building the site.

The Severn Mega-Barrage:

The ebb-tide generating scheme as drawn up by the Severn Tidal Power Group (STPG) could deliver 17 terawatt hours per year (TWh/yr). A revised report was published in 2002 for the DTI (STPG 2002). The scheme would deliver about 5% of current England and Wales electricity consumption of 350 TWh/yr and cut 18 million tones CO2 per yr (from the UK's ~600 Mt CO2 per yr total). Diurnal fluctuations could be smoothed out by a two-basin design, whereby off-demand power is used to pump water into a higher second basin. The DTI recommended this for further study. Operating the pair of basins to meet the demand cycle gives electricity of much greater value. The timing issue has been largely ignored for renewable, but will have to be taken into account for

any large tidal scheme. If back-up power stations or storage systems are needed, economic assessment will need to compare total system costs with a two-basin design. The Barrage proposed would stretch 10 miles from Lavernock Point, east of Barry, to near Brean Down in Somerset, impounding an area of 185 square miles. The scheme's embankment would pass between the two islands (Steep Holm and Flat Holm) between which there is a deep channel. The Barrage would incorporate locks to allow shipping and smaller craft to access the port at Bristol, other docks and the river Severn. The proposed generating capacity (maximum output) is 8.6 gigawatts (GW). To balance slack periods, it needs operating together with our largest power station (Drax) cycling up and down (at the maximum output from spring tides, it would require two such power stations to cover the slack times). The Shoots barrage scheme sited upstream of Bristol is sized at 1 GW, to generate 2.75 TWh/yr (one sixth the mega-barrage). The capital cost is an eighth and construction time a half of the mega-barrage. Other advantages claimed for it by promoters PB Power (of Parsons Brinkerhoff Ltd.) are - no impacts on the major ports (only on Sharpness), sufficient grid capacity (the mega-barrage requires ~ 1.5 bn to reinforce the electricity grid), and suitable to carry a highspeed rail link. The sedimentation problem is severe, but considered manageable via a design with high turbines and limiting intake at storm times and spring tides.

The mega-barrage as a development project:

Protection against sea-level rise - the DTI assessment argues for multi-bn benefits in terms of coastal protection. The Shoots Barrage would secure part of

these benefits. However, present policy is for coastal retreat ('realignment') and spending of ~600M on defences, so the Environment Agency has challenged the DTI claims. The mega-barrage is inevitably a large development project. As well as the construction sites at each end, electrical substations with new National Grid lines and a new road link are envisaged. Marinas and executive housing islands linked to the barrage structure are also proposed. Prof. Brian Morgan (ex-Wales Development Agency) promotes the concept of a seven side urban metropolis. Some, if not all, of the CO2 saving would be absorbed in energy -hungry development and on-going activity. Environmental studies so far indicate that tidal energy does not result in the emission of gases responsible for global warming or acid rain associated with fossil fuel generated electricity. Use of tidal energy could also decrease the need for nuclear power, with its associated radiation risks. One concern is that the tidal flows caused by damming a bay or estuary could, result in negative impacts on the immediate environment. This is still unclear as very little is understood about how altering the tides can affect incredibly complex aquatic and shoreline ecosystems. However each specific site is different and the impacts depend greatly upon local geography. Local tides changed only slightly due to the La Rance dam, and the environmental impact has been negligible. It has been estimated that in the Bay of Fundy, tidal power plants could decrease local tides by 15 cm. The negative environmental impacts of tidal barrages are probably much smaller than those of other sources of electricity. Tidal energy has the power to

generate significant amounts of electricity at suitable sites around the world. But the potential is yet to be fully explored. USES AND ECONOMY The friction of the bulging oceans acting on the spinning earth results in a very gradual slowing down of the earth's rotation but this is not expected to impact us for billions of years. Therefore, for practical purposes, tidal energy can be considered a sustainable and renewable source of energy. It can prove to be a valuable source of renewable energy to an electrical system. The demand of electricity from a grid varies with the time of the day. Tidal power, although variable, is reliable and predictable and can make a valuable contribution to an electrical system, which has a variety of sources. Tidal electricity provides a good alternative to conventional methods of generating electricity, which would otherwise be generated by fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas) etc, thus reducing emissions of greenhouse and acid gases.

Conclusion:
Tidal energy should be focused on for next generative fuel source, it is renewable energy source with many potential benefits. There are many sites worldwide that can use barrage open water turbine process. Tidal power has a potential to oneday account for one fifth is our total consumption, so they never solve or current energy dilemma. They could provide assistance, but never more than that-we could not totally rely on this technology. BIBILOGRAPHY: Sites referred: 1] www.worldcollegs.info 2] www.darvill.clara.net 3] www.google.com

SEMINAR REPORT