Tidal power has been exploited by mankind since 900 A.D for variety of uses. Most uses of tidal power in its early days, involved in conversion of potential energy into mechanical energy rather than to electrical energy like how it’s being used today (Tidal.Inc, n.d). By building a barrage over an open basin and allowing it to fill up by the rising tide, then flowing the collected water over a water flywheel or a similar energy conversion device generated enough power to operate basic machines such as flour grinder and more (Tidal.Inc, n.d).
It was at 1960’s the first commercial scale modern-era tidal power plant was built in France for electric power generation. The plant was equipped with twenty-four turbine generators and operated for thirty-seven years (Tidal.Inc, n.d). Since then, numerous studies had been conducted on tidal powers whopping nearly 100 million US dollars, to optimise the energy to the fullest. Waves
The friction between blowing wind of the ocean and the water surface is known to generate waves. Wave heights are can differ depending on the speed, duration of the wind and the topography of the ocean floor. The streaming water from higher to lower
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Tidal energy benefits as it is a renewable energy as it is the result of gravitational field from both moon and sun combined with earth’s rotation resulting in high and low tide (Energy Informative, 2013). Tidal energy is also easy to be predicted as tidal currents are highly predictable (Tidal Power.UK, n.d). This makes it easier for engineers to construct a system which is highly effective. Thirdly, tidal power is also effective in low speed. As water is 830 times denser than air, it’s calculated that electric can be generated even with the flow of 1 m/s (Energy Informative, 2013). Also, tidal power plants have long lifespan, as the barrage in La Rance has been operating since 1966 (Tidal Power.UK, n.d). This makes it cheaper to operate in long