One of the biggest technical hurdles to overcome with tidal energy is its intermittent supply as the tide changes direction twice each day. This is a huge surge and shortfall in terms of supplying a baseload source of electricity on our weak grid system up here. The only way to control it would be to turn off some of the turbines.
So we need a source of energy up here that will match the peak and troughs of supply of the tidal enrgy, windfarms can't do that all the time as they are irregularly intermittent and they won't always be operating at their peak at low flow of the Firth. A new nuclear build up here where we still retain nuclear related skills could be operated in such a way, or even a gas powered power station.
An alternative idea would be to bring large electricity users to Caithness which could use the energy when the tide and wind is at their peak. This would bring much needed jobs to the area and provide a good political framework for the installation of renewable energies where currently little exists.
One thing that I found puzzling was the terms 'Saudi Arabia of renewables' or 'Holy Grail of renewables'. The plan is to build 1500MW of capacity by 2020 and possibility of 10,000MW, since tidal turbines only produce around a third of their capacity during service then I find the expectation a little higher than the reality of it, ie, it can only replace a third of a modern power station by 2020 and equilavent to 3 power stations at saturation. A modest contribution to the UK's targets but large enough to warrant a full upgrade to the grid from JoG to the south.
Last edited by Rheghead; 08-Jun-08 at 11:30.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
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