Developing World Used More Renewables Than Rich Ones for First Time in 2019
What scientists and energy experts are calling a historic breakthrough is due to a combination of the power of water and rapidly advancing technology making use of it: an enormous pool of still, dark water and muck some 220 miles southeast of Seattle has just become the first such facility (in the United States) to generate electricity, and it is producing the clean, renewable power that no one thought possible. This technical advance offers the possibility for tidal power to be treated as a long-term sustainable renewable energy source.
World’s Largest Tidal Stream Array Gets BIG Boost!
What Is Tidal Energy and Why Does It Matter?
Tidal energy harnesses the power of the natural ebb and flow of ocean tides to produce electricity. Tides are unlike solar and wind in that they are fairly predictable and extremely reliable forms of alternative energy. But in the past, tidal has been held back by relentless battering from the marine environment, mechanical challenges of longevity, and southerly winds being much more prevalent, according to Waves4Power.
The MeyGen Project: An Engineering World First
Image credit: Adobe Stock (Free for editorial use)
The turbine is one of those from the MeyGen Project, which is the largest planned tidal energy project in the world, situated in the Pentland Firth strait between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands. Features of this turbine:
- Established to date, such a … this just kept going for over 6 years
- Delivered electricity to over 7,000 homes each year
- Saltwater, high-pressure flow, and marine biofouling resistant
The secret to this? The technical details * – SKF’s closed-type bearing with pallet loaded and special seal; this design exploits the turbine’s service even under the most difficult conditions – even there, a few competitors were able to achieve an operation time of only 12-24 months.
Scientific Validation and Energy Impact
Image credit: Conceptual Energy Model (via Bing / Free use)
MeyGen device proven in new European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) study. The data indicates:
- 95% uptime across 6 years
- Over 100 GWh of energy exported to the UK grid
- Minimum impact on marine ecology, as confirmed by real-time monitoring
This is proof that tidal power is not only environmentally responsible but economically feasible.
Expert Opinions
“This is the massive opportunity,” explains Dr. Fiona MacLaren, senior research fellow at EMEC. “It’s not a prototype anymore. Tidal is preparing to shock countries.”
“What wind did in 2008, tidal is doing now,” says Jonathan Kerns, energy policy analyst at Renewables UK. “We are only just beginning the commercial phase.”
Global Expansion: What’s Next?
The success of that endeavor has prompted plans to have 20 more turbines operating by 2030, in Scotland alone, as well as negotiations for installations in Canada, France, South Korea, and Japan. And by the close of the decade, tidal range power may even be delivered as an all-day, every-day, sustainable base-load power supply to coastal countries on the path to a carbon-neutral economy.
Why It Matters for the Planet
Image credit: Free licensed source (via Bing)
And unlike solar and wind power, which depend on optimal weather, the tides have no off switch. This consistency could:
- Reduce reliance on peaker fossil fuel plants
- Complement wind/solar in hybrid grids
- Accelerate global decarbonization
With zero emissions, predictability, and negligible land, tidal power is ideal for future-proofing our energy systems.
Final Thoughts
A record that Scotland’s turbine has run without a break Source: Scottish government; Lloyd’s Register is a testament not just to an engineering marvel but a wake-up call. The ocean is not just a frontier or a highway of commerce. It’s a limitless energy frontier.
Key Takeaways for Readers
And yet, that’s precisely why tidal power is already here.
- Scotland is a world leader in this type of green industry;
- Ready for global deployment
- It is the most source-stable of any of the power generated from renewable sources to date.
