The Pyramid Power

Tidal energy is the utilization of the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon. The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon carry a great deal of energy, which need to be adequately tapped. It is one of the oldest forms of energy.

Tidal energy can be created using a tide mill or a tidal power plant. Tides rise and fall every day in a very consistent pattern. The difference between the tide mill and today's tidal power plant is the size of the unit and the amount of energy generated. Another method of utilizing tidal energy is to build a barrage or barrier with gates of some kind at the opening of a bay or a river system to create an estuary or a big basin.

The most important advantage of tidal energy is its economical benefits, as tidal energy does not require any fuel. Besides the economical factors, tidal energy is clean and renewable, unlike fossil fuels. Tidal energy offers a lot of potential to be a substitute for hydrocarbon and fossil fuels. The advantage of tidal energy has created great deal of tidal energy investment.

Tidal energy, or tidal power, is a little known and little used energy source. Yet it is a very old energy source, dating back to the middle ages in Europe. Tidal energy is created by the relative motion of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and the gravitational interactions between them. Every coastal region has two high and two low tides in each approximate 24 hour period. A big advantage of tidal energy is its predictability. The size and time of tides can be predicted very efficiently.

Tidal energy is little used around the world. In order for electricity to be generated, differences between high and low tides must consistently reach 16 feet. There are few regions in the world where this occurs. There are currently no tidal energy facilities in the United States although there is potential in the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Northeast.