I've never understood why more hasn't been made of tidal flow - it doesn't vary (unlike wind or sun), it's reasonably non-intrusive (unlike tidal barriers) and it's not likely to upset NIMBYs.

There are lots of possibilities - some with submerged turbines, others with various (pneumatic or hydraulic) ways of transferring power to surface- or land-based generators.

There are certainly quite a few systems already around, but it's not something that gets much publicity.

Pity.

The power transfer scheme is very sensible & seems to me to be applicable to wind power.

The ability to vary the rate of energy transfer, would seem to help at both the upper & lower ranges of wind velocity.

Energy storage through the use of standard gas charged accumulators?

Of course there would be some losses, that you wouldn't get with direct drive...

JohnDG-

The primary reason more hasn't been done is the vested interests in the power industry have significant investment in maintaining the status quo (i.e., build carbon sequestration systems instead of nuclear power plants, etc...)

• conspiracies everywhere.
• Norway already has such systems in place and producing.
  

I have trouble following your link, but I am very much interested in tidal flow energy generation- I am actively pursuing a proposal here in Panama, but the powers that be are still pursuing conventional hydro, and it is a hard sell. EPRI has done extensive documentation and economic studies that would be of interest to anyone interested in this field. Costs are hard to project reliably, because there are material compatibility issues, although a lot of what has been done with offshore oil drilling will be applicable. Operating costs are projected to be a bit above conventional hydro, because one needs dedicated sea-going vessels with specialized cranes to service the units. Subsea cabling is also rather costly...

One also must deal with the fact that this is not "continuous" power, since the tide changes direction four times a day. One winds up with dead times at slack tide when there is no flow, but, unlike wind power, it is highly predictable, and, where tidal power is used (i.e., Rance, France), it is easily tied to the grid.

I have done extensive research in this area. Anyone interested, I am more than willing to share the information.

you have to be patient it take a long time to load, some weird reader?

Here's from a different source Link

I'm no expert & live a couple of hundred miles from the ocean, but am interested

Second link worked. I am familiar with the Lunar Power turbine- one of the designs closest to commercialization. There is another system, looking more like conventional wind turbines, being installed in the East River in New York City. There is a project scheduled to be built in Oregon as well, but i haven't followed that one too closely. The EPRI studies detail about 40 different turbine designs under development, some more viable than others. I have a preference for hydraulic power transfer, because I can replace a diesel engine on a standard diesel generator set with a hydraulic motor, without having to change the electrical side. Also, it's easier to store pressurized fluid than gases. You over-pump your accumulator to make sure you have enough energy stored for when the tide isn't flowing. But, for serious power levels, you have to have one HUMONGOUS accumulator...

Cool.

Hi ;

i am also very much interested in Tidal power, here in Fiji, in the South Pacific we are getting ready to measure the tidal stream velocities. or velocity profiles at a few locations to asses the capacity for tidal power. along with this we plan to do some design of suitable turbines as well. So far i am not able to identify a good current profiler, simply due to its cost. we plan to use a single point current meter for measurements if the profiler is not available. we plan to generate a velocity profile by measuring at several depths and then projecting the long term measured data onto these profiles to approximate the velocity profile over a one year period. what would you say about this procedure?...

i strongly believe that tidal power can provide a stable and clean source of energy to developing pacific island countries. The use of low rpm , high torque underwater bi-directional turbines in tidal stream itself are environmentally friendlier.

Thanks

hi;

http://www.globalspec.com/events/previewvideo?eventId=16

just hope all see this in time.