Tidal energy could be huge – why isn't it?

Do you think that we should use more tidal energy?

I hate how we point out slightest ecological problem when it comes to any renewable energy source but conveniently forgot that what we have now is devastating whole planet. It's like discussing what type of extinguisher will corrode door handles the least while whole building is on fire.

Thank you for being transparent about the real environmental, ecological and operational cost impact when talking renewable. Very rare indeed…others tend to overpromise and oversimplify the issue

It’s been a while since I’ve looked things up on tidal power, but I think there was concerns about marine life being affected by the spinning propellers, things like sharks and rays that are attracted to electrical fields, and possible pollution from leaking components.

A guy I know (PhD from UMIST and various engineering patents) had a concept for using tidal turbines in the British Channel. He'd conceived a innovative design to compensate for the tide turning and for minimum maintenance to the moving parts and no need for complicated systems. Very simple/effective. I illustrated the visuals and he proposed it to the UK Govt (the then Dept of Energy) with semi-detailed plans and he wanted nothing for it as he'd made his money and was semi-retired) but the Govt couldn't take concepts to design themselves - they needed him to develop the business, create prototypes, etc. Plus the environmental lobby opposed any bankside development on the Severn. It was interesting to see the Dept of Energy release an article in the Times about a year later, with drawings very similar to mine but they'd misinterpreted some areas and created a more complex but less efficient design that would cost times as much. Always wondered if it was a missed opportunity as UK waters are nothing but tidal? 🤔

0:13 I love how they simulated a fish getting hit

I would love to see some comparable numbers in Diagramms or similar. Some number which here for example compare investment costs and efficiency values. That would help me a lot. Keep it up, love your videos

AS I recall, one of the problems that they had in the Bay of Fundy (in addition to issues with fish, seals, etc.) was that the tidal forces are so strong that the experimental units just disappear - they are torn out of the bottom of the bay and swept away.

In 1970’s at university we talked about harnessing the Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy tidal currents. Eventually permanent turbines were put in. The tides wrecked the machines and they were removed.

I can't believe that I'm nearly 40 and never realized that high-tide and low-tide is us moving around the tidal bulge zone - like how sunrise and sunset is us moving past the sun.

Fun fact. My dad was one off the supervisors for the original Tidal power project in Hammerfest (Norway). (Specifically in Kvalsund) They look like small underwater wind mills

This was very well explained and thought out! Thank you!

Very informative and well presented. Thank you :)

I live on the shore of Minas Basin, an arm of the Bay of Fundy. We have the world’s highest tides (with a range between 8 and 18 meters) and tidal power has been discussed here for a very long time. The 1 Canadian plant that you mention is further down the Bay of Fundy, it’s in fact a dam in one of the rivers feeding into the Bay. It opened around the same time as La Rance but stopped operating 3 years ago. The renewed in-stream tidal power initiative started about 15 years ago. The Government built an interpretive Center at the site where a tailor-made cable from three turbine locations comes ashore. A donut-shaped turbine was installed twice and both times failed within days. And then couldn’t be removed because of the strength of the currents. We are nowhere near even a pilot project after all these years. In addition, the fishing community is dead against it, causing endless delays. There have been much better successes around Shetland and Orkney. I’d love to see more progress here but I don’t have much hope

Aditi Rajagopal 👍❤️👌

I'm surprised that transportation and storage of energy was completely skipped. Tidal energy is great for the coasts, but all land locked cities are going to need some other energy alternative. I was hoping they would talk about energy loss over vast distances, how many batteries would be needed to store this energy, what chemicals are used in the manufacture of batteries, and the waste/lifespan of said batteries. It is disturbing to me that when alternative energy is talked about these are very important and are never mentioned!

there are a lot of factual information that is just blurted out by Rajagopal, it would be great if we could get the sources to these factual statements, I acknowledge that this isn't a academic paper or a report. But showing audience the specific statement of facts/ quoting the specific source, would add to the credibility of the video.

Great content, amazing ilustrations and selection of experts to explain it, thanks very much!

Best of luck to you clever people and thanks for sharing!

Thanks guys!