Tidal Energy: Harnessing the Power of the Ocean's Movement

The movement of ocean waves, temperature differences between warm surface waters and cooler deep waters, salinity disparities between fresh and saltwater, and marine currents and tides all contain inherent energy. For centuries, humans have been trying to harness this energy, with early attempts dating back to 1799 when French engineer Pierre-Simon Girard first experimented with tidal power.

One of the most promising forms of tidal energy is the point absorber buoy system. This involves anchoring a floating buoy to a stabilizing base on the seafloor, which creates electricity as it moves up and down with the waves.

The potential for tidal energy is vast, with estimates suggesting that wave power alone could produce between 8,000 and 80,000 TWh of electricity annually. Ocean thermal energy, osmotic energy, marine currents, and some types of wave energy also have the capacity to generate consistent and reliable base load power.

In fact, the International Energy Agency estimates that tidal and marine current energy could potentially produce 1,100 TWh of electricity each year, while ocean thermal energy could generate up to 10,000 TWh. Osmotic power, which harnesses the difference in salinity between fresh and saltwater, could produce a further 2,000 TWh.

The amount of recoverable tidal energy is estimated at around 1,170 TWh per year, which is almost a third of the amount of electricity that the U.S. coastline alone could generate annually. This is a staggering figure, especially when compared to the world's current energy consumption of almost 20,000 TWh.

The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that the waves breaking along the U.S. coast could generate up to 2,640 TWh of electricity each year, making tidal energy a significant potential source of clean and renewable power.

As we continue to grapple with the challenges of climate change, harnessing the power of the ocean's movement could be a vital solution. The oceans are a vast unexploited source of clean, reliable, and predictable renewable energy, and it is time that we began to tap into this potential.

With ongoing research and development, tidal energy could play a crucial role in replacing fossil fuels and helping to reduce our carbon footprint. Whether through the use of point absorber buoys or other innovative technologies, the future of tidal energy looks bright, and it's an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.

Tidal energy examples