The power of the tides

I’ve been a tidal power technology developer pioneer for 23 years. From a scientist/engineering perspective we work with the physics, resultant forces, and sophisticated computational fluid dynamic models; as scientists we know the incredible hydraulic powerful forces available in the daily tides.

These predictable tidal forces can be safely harnessed to produce low cost sustainable power for the benefit of humanity. It has been frustratingly painful to know what this resource is capable in the positive, and to fail so utterly in not being able to convey the beneficial power of the tides to the rest of the world. This has been excruciatingly painful.

For decades we have used all the graphic design tools power point presentations models, reason and rational largely to no avail; sadly to date the response has been an unresponsive blank stare of a cow looking at a passing train. Duh!!!

The above video footage was from a tidal resource assesment field trip in northern Scotland. While working with the hydrographic data, turbine models and seeing the powerful rip tides first hand can give us intellectual appreciation of the power of the tides, it is only after watching something like this next video link below; anyone will come away with a visceral appreciation of power potential of the tides. Its really a no brainer.

http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/1416681/71a8dbc9/nieuwe_tsunami_footage.html

Just maybe with the horrible disaster of the 9.0 earth quake in Japan and the resultant tsunami, the world can now start to finally appreciate the positive and wonderful aspects of this sustainable resource we have at our disposal. Maybe at the expense of the losses experienced in Japan we can start to see the tides for the wonderful gift that it is and we can finally turn from the insanity of nuclear power, coal and oil to a low cost clean energy future.