Harnessing Tidal Power in France, Essay Example

Tidal power is a fast growing trend in the field of energy generating processes, which allows to accumulate sufficient amounts of energy with the help of tidal energy generators. Those are “large underwater turbines” that are “placed in areas with high tidal movements, and are designed to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to produce electricity” (“Tidal Power”, 2009). On average, tides move sufficient amount of water twice per day, which makes it possible to generate enough energy when appropriately harnessed (“Tidal Power – Energy of the Sea”, 2009).

In the light of today’s environment friendliness discussion, the use of tidal generated power is extremely advantageous. First of all, such form of energy accumulation needs no fuel to run it and does not alter environment in any way as there are no hazardous wastes or gases produced. Secondly, it produces reliable electricity and is totally predictable as tidal flows can be easily studied and observed. Finally, despite the sufficient initial financial investment, tidal power generators are not that expensive in maintenance and all the later generated tidal power is absolutely free. The only serious drawback that can be noted in regards to tidal power usage is the fact that energy is not being constantly generated. As the power accumulation process is in progress only when the tides actually move in or out, the power is being produced during that exact period of time – approximately 10 hours a day (“Tidal Power – Energy of the Sea”, 2009). However, such alternative way of energy generation speaks for itself: being almost environment impact free, it is able to provide countries with enough energy for consumption as well as promote prospective energy generation methods that save both human and land resources.

“The idea of harnessing the tidal energy of the ocean had a special fascination for many scientists” (Beer, 1997). However, the development of the abundance of ideas concerning the various schemes and devices for the production of electronic turbines or other machinery for the detection of the tides’ movements has been hampered by the vast capital investment needed for their implementation. “Presently France is the only country that successfully uses the tides as a power source” (“Tidal Power: Wave of the Future?”). The world’s first major tidal power system was built in France in 1966. Settled on the banks of the Rance River, Rance tidal power station is nowadays the largest in the world and the only one in Europe (“Tidal Power – Energy of the Sea”, 2009). The costs of building this station totaled $100 million with the station supplying 65 MW of electricity into the national grid system (Beer, 1997). “Putting tides to work for power production has been proposed through four major methods” (Charlier & Finkl, 2009), which include the float method, which generates power by means of raising and falling the floating mass as the tide comes and leaves, or the “rotating paddle wheel” that is “mounted on a shaft and activated by both ebb and flood tides” (Charlier & Finkl, 2009). As to the Rance River station, its operating process is based on retaining basin, dam and sluices. The dam has twenty four bulb type turbines placed in it, however, turbine types may vary as other designs have also been successfully tested (Beer, 1997). Since the opening of the station in 1966, some of the previously used methods and equipment have been modified as a result of the fast technological advancement. So, for example, “a large head was originally required for a plant to properly function”, but nowadays, the use of low-head turbines is permitted (Charlier & Finkl, 2009). Moreover, both currents, ebb and flood, can now generate electricity – an achievement that is remarkable, but, at the same time, not financial justified according to some experts and engineers. All in all, the tides at the station can range from 9 to 14 meters, which produces closely to 500000kW (Charlier & Finkl, 2009).

Nowadays the French tidal power station is close to its 50-years anniversary. On the whole, the station “performed well, lifted the entire region out of the enduring slumber, and delivered needed extra power to distant areas” (Charlier & Finkl, 2009). One can undoubtedly name it a financially justified project, taking in consideration the amount of initial capital investment and the lowered price of power production as a result of the cost reducing production approaches.

Though the Rance River tidal power station is a vital component in the French energy generating process, certain station’s disadvantages cannot be disregarded. According to Beer (1997), the French tidal power experiment, as one can call Rance station, “has shown that tidal power can save some of the fuels that would be burnt in conventional power stations”, but, unfortunately, it is unable to serve as a conventional power system due to its rare concision with the peak demand for electricity. In other words, when the demand for electricity is unable to be fulfilled, space generating capacity has to be “available when the tides are mismatched” (Beer, 1997).

The positive solution for the above mentioned issue is essential for the French tidal power operations. When all the necessary research and developmental initiatives in regards to the station’s operational process are taken in consideration, the Rance River station will be able to turn into the most reliable and constant energy supplier of the country. For now, however, it has already brought a number of advantages for the national development that should be noted. Rance River tidal power station is essential not only for the country’s energy supply as it is linked to the France’s national electricity grid, but also for the development of the whole nearby region. Previously impoverished Brittany region opened up as the nation’s main energy supplier as well as a four-lane highway was built on top of the barrage, which substantially shortened the travel time between the two river banks (Charlier & Finkl, 2009).

Nevertheless, in the recent years the Rance River tidal power station has significantly altered the Rance ecosystem. On the one hand, such species as sand-eels and plaices have completely disappeared from the region, while, on the other, sea cut and cuttlefish came back to the previous habitat (Charlier & Finkl, 2009). Furthermore, “severe environmental consequences” can be acknowledged as a result of the station’s location in a “fragile estuary” (Schwartz, 2008). As a result, French government and Electricite de France are currently in the search of the new tidal power alternatives, which will not only involve more of the environment protection procedures, but will also generate even greater energy results than Rance River tidal power station.

Last year, a new tidal power incentive has been taken by Electricite de France. According to Schwartz (2008), it announced that “it plans to build a pilot tidal turbine system” by 2011. The main idea behind the proposal is a potential building of the 3 to 6 turbines, which capacities vary from 4 to 6 MW (Schwartz, 2008). The location of the site is off Paimpol in Brittany. The choice of the building location is not a spontaneous one as it was chosen because of the extremely strong currents in the area. If the above mentioned pilot project succeeds, tidal power is prone to become an integral industry for France, because even today “France alone has 80% of the potential in Europe for generating electricity from tidal currents” (Schwartz, 2008). This is enough to potentially generate 10 Million MWh annually.

On the whole, tidal energy generation is a prospectively beneficial alternative for the country. With the development of the tidal power programs France will be able to use tidal energy as a renewable source of electricity that will not produce any kinds of emissions into the environment as well as will not contribute to the greenhouse effect or global warming in any case. With tidal energy potentially covering all fields of French business and individual activity, the country will also have a chance to withstand the use of nuclear or any other dangerous and unsafe types of power, ensuring a healthy and prosperous well-being for its citizens and upcoming generations. Moreover, the use of the tidal power stations is able to prevent the emissions of approximately 1 million tons of CO₂, which is a considerable incentive in the environment protection movement with countries all over the world doing their best in cutting overall CO₂ emissions (“Tidal Energy”).

In the view of the 2007-2008 financial crises, tidal power is one of the best choices for France in the economic sphere. As previously noted, the only investments necessary are those for the construction and maintenance processes. They may be still too high, but, in the end, such kind of investment justifies itself. There is no fuel needed for the running of the tidal power station, which does not only save the capital resources but also prevent the environment from all kinds of industrial waste. The expected production cycle for such a station is 75-100 years, which makes it more favorable in comparison with the ordinary conventional plant that lasts for approximately 35 years (“Tidal Energy”).

Conducting a research in the field of French tidal energy generation, a fair view will be to consider alone with the undeniable benefits of tidal energy usage the possible disadvantages of the proposed actions. First of all, the biggest problem that one can come up with in the view of tidal power is the altering of the landscape and the shore with artificial industrial buildings, which include turbines, barriers and facilities. Such construction options may not just change the picturesque views, but may ruin the shore outline or even damage the soil. Furthermore, the new constructions will undoubtedly change the inhabitance patterns of the sea animals and surrounding species. Finally, a close attention should be paid to pollution issues, because, being a relatively environmentally friendly energy generating option, tidal power stations still have the chance of polluting the surrounding areas, both land and water ones.

As far as I can judge, development of the tidal energy generation is one of the main topics in the French governmental priority list as it is one of the most prospective alternatives of energy generation. And France, being poorly supplied with energy resources, is definitely in need of such alternatives (“France’s Energy Situation”).  According to “France’s Energy Situation”, “France is the world’s 7^th largest consumer of energy”, which before-crisis economic growth, domestic electricity usage, increased population as well as industrial energy consumption have all contributed to the increased energy consuming demands. From the industrial and economic points of view such increasing energy consumption trends are unacceptable for the developing European country that France surely is, which encourages French government to undertake and implement certain energy retaining measures, among which tidal energy generation alternatives are among the top energy generating priorities.

All in all, being the most experienced and qualified country in the field of tidal energy generation, France nowadays possess all the necessary means, resources and knowledge for the technological advancement of the tidal power stations. Understanding the emerging country’s need for alternative energy generating processes, French government is, on the one hand, eager to implement new energy saving policies, while, on the other, seeks for the development of the tidal power accumulation. The last option, if properly and timely conducted, is able to make tidal power the country’s top industry as well as reduce poisonous emissions in the environment as a result of the reduced industrial activity of the other energy generating fields. Moreover, advanced tidal power generating techniques will provide the country with enough energy supply, while preserving the regional and national ecosystems. Finally, as tidal energy in France is connected to the electricity supply of the country, the nation, with improved tidal power techniques, will be able to receive constant energy and electricity supplies, which are as essential for the lives of the citizens as for the proper functioning of all country’s industries and manufacturing processes.

References

Beer, Tom. (1997). Environmental Oceanography. Ed. 2. CRC Press.

Charlier, R. H. & Finkl, C. W. (2009). Ocean Energy: Tide and Tidal Power. Springer.

France’s Energy Situation. (2006). DGEMP. Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/energie/anglais/politique-energetique.htm

Schwartz, Ariel. (2008). France Plans Groundbreaking Tidal Power Experiment. Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, from http://cleantechnica.com/2008/07/28/france-plans-groundbreaking-tidal-power-experiment/

Tidal Energy. (2009). Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, from http://shimas-hosting.com/unisun/tidal_energy.htm

Tidal Power. (2009). Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, from http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/tidal-power/

Tidal Power – Energy from the Sea. (2009). Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, from http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/tidal.htm

Tidal Power: Wave of the Future? (2009). Retrieved Nov. 30, 2009, from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/119147/science/tidal_power_wave_of_the_future.html