TIDAL POWER

CLEAN TECHNOLOGYSupervision: Dr. Thomas Schaubroeck

By: Gołębiowska Katarzyna

Havran Iva

Herzallah A M. Mohammed

2014- 2015

TABLE OF CONTENT

• Introduction

• Sustainability assessment

• Economics

• Environmental impacts

• SWOT analysis - a case study of Poland

• Conclusions and future prospective

Introduction

Tidal energy is a result of the motion in the

Earth-Moon system.

The basic principles of the tidal power

utilization technology are:

• Altering the tidal energy by barrage systems

into the electricity

(Right-up picture)

• Altering the kinetic energy of the tides by

tidal current systems into the electricity

(Right-down picture)

Introduction

Advantages of tidal power utilization:

• Renewable and durable source of energy

• Predictable energy source compared with

• Pollution free

• Controls the impacts on a coastline against

Damage from high storm tides

Introduction

Disadvantages of tidal power

utilization:

• It is presently costly to build and

maintain

• It has negative environmental

affects

Sustainability assessment: Economics

• Initial costs of implementation – very high

• Durability of these plants (more than 100 years) and rather low operation costs make

them competitive on the market

• Example:

• La Rance, power plant in France with initial costs estimated to be around $66 million,

but the money was reclaimed due to long operating time (45 years now).

• For guidance only, costs in France:

• La Rance-240 megawatts generator generates the electricity at 3, 7 eurocents per kwh

• Conventional power plant - 10, 8 Eurocents per kwh

• Nuclear power plant - 3, 8 Eurocents

• Hydropower plant - 3, 7 Eurocents per kwh

Sustainability assessment: Environmental impacts

• Only few studies by now

However it is known that:

The tidal current turbines less harmful than older,

barrage systems

Water turbidity affected due to the change of

sedimentation movements

Ocean life suffers from direct contact with turbines

Barrage lowers the tidal range, affects the intertidal

zone, thus birds that feed on it

Recent study - sound linked with the turbines shifts the

water pressure, hence, harms fish tissue

SWOT analysis - a case study of Poland

SWOT analysis - a case study of Poland

Opportunities Threats

access to the Baltic sea unstable political situation (key role of relations with Russia – main gas provider)

potential interest of investors (provided that environmental policy changes and there is more financial support)

no long-term vision on energy policy puts investors off

implementation of the legislation, including the energy strategy until 2020, as a further plan for supporting renewable power utilization

not clear environmental legislation

high costs of technology (limited utilization hydro power to units below 1 MW)

Conclusions and future prospective

• Tidal energy is the type of green energy which is rather predictable and

reliable.

• Every day development of the technology makes it more applicable because

it reduces its costs.

• The case of France shows that tidal power can be already used efficiently,

and the further development will make it even more feasible.

• There is a need for more studies, however, it is known that there are severe

environmental impacts that further development can reduce.

• Case of Poland shows that tidal power is not the main interest among other

renewable sources, however there is some potential if the new legislation

and support plan are introduced.

Thank you !