Southampton University asserts pre-eminence of Tidal Energy

(UK) — Tidal power researchers at Southampton University favour marine current turbines over offshore wind farms to provide predictable energy. Research at the University suggested that marine current turbines had the potential to access four times more energy than offshore wind turbines.

“Marine current turbines have many advantages compared to other renewable energy sources such as offshore wind farms,” said Dr Abu Bakr Bahaj, head of the Sustainable Energy Research Group, Southampton University. He continued, “It is estimated that a tidal current turbine rated to work in a flow between 2 to 3 metres/per second in seawater can typically access four times as much energy per rotor swept area as a similarly rated power wind turbine.

“Since tides are predictable, the power generated can be planned for and could be used for base load support of the grid. However, we need to know much more about how the technology will work before it will be viable and this project will take us another step towards the optimal turbine design.”

Dr. Bahaj asserted that “the potential of the electricity that can be produced from the resource is high”, and he noted that his team’s current estimate of the potential for just one site, the races of the Channel Islands, indicates that a tidal energy regime constructed here could generate “the equivalent of three Sizewell B nuclear power stations”.

The University of Southampton has been awarded £215,000 pounds (approx. $380 mUSD) over the next three years by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to research the development of turbines to generate power as tides ebb and flow. The work will focus on turbine blade design and how the blades are affected by the marine environment, and on determining the optimal conditions for successful operation.