Tidal power: ‘Let’s take a look’
Monday 22nd December 2008, 3:00PM GMT.
TIDAL power would be a benefit to Islanders and up to half a million pounds should be spent on investigating the possibility, a steering group has concluded.
The Tidal Power Steering Group, chaired by Grouville Constable Dan Murphy, has recommended that the States actively pursue tidal power as well as look into exporting the product to Europe. The group was set up by Environment Minister Freddie Cohen to investigate the potential contribution tidal power might make to Jersey’s energy requirements and has just published its findings.
Mr Murphy said: ‘The group has unanimously concluded that tidal power could make a real and increasing contribution to the energy requirements and security of the Island for the rest of this century. The technology in this area is moving ahead at pace and we believe that Jersey’s waters offer an opportunity for us to harness significant amounts of renewable energy both for Jersey but also potentially for export to European markets.
‘We have recommended to the minister that the States should set up a qualified group to move ahead with all deliberate speed, in particular carrying out the critical environmental investigations as well as developing the legislative and commercial framework necessary to attract resource developers to our waters.’
Pictured: An undersea turbine
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Yes, Yes and Yes.
Tidal power is an emerging industry. All industries rise, mature and decline. The finance industry will do the same in time. Do we need a new industry? Yes!
Does Jersey need energy security? Yes! Tidal power provides a 24/7/365 energy source reliant only on the dependability of inter-planetary movement. It will see us out for the next few millennia. Dependable? Yes.
Jersey seeks a carbon friendly future. Off peak electricity can be used to convert water into hydrogen, used in turn to power fuel cell cars. Pollution? Only water which is fit to drink.
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who is stumping up the £250,000 for the study?
but apart from this , what a great idea, full steam ahead if it means cheaper electricity for us all..
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Sounds like a great idea!
However 500,000 to investigate the possibility? Try a Google search first!!!! That costs nothing….
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half a million pounds will turn into £5 million pounds knowing Jersey. The resource developers will be rubbing there hands.
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Here we go again
Jersey is a tiny little island. Do you think Jersey should compete with world leaders in technology like the UK and France. Its far cheaper to be dependant thats why Jersey will always be dependant.
Export to Europe, now thats good one. This is a similar hoax to the bridge to france. What happened to the wind farm idea?
Just drop the idea and the investigation cost will be saved.
Jersey’s niche is finance. Stick to what you do best.
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Although the cost of research and development may be substantial the rewards for Jersey with its’ huge tidal flow could be enormous. The island would gain by having a limitless supply of clean electrical power with enough capacity to become an net exporter of energy.
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This has to be an option for srious consideration. Trouble currently is that oil has dropped again to the point where alternatives are no longer viable. I just wonder, if the Stae’s have the forsight and understanding of the enginnering to make the descions. The controversey over incinerators has caused enough hot air to run Stirling engines to drive turbines.
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Here is a thought, although slightly hair-brained. Contact Alderney Renewable Energy ltd who are already in the process of doing feasability studies etc for the area around Alderney and look into the potential of a joint venture or other forms of utilising the work they have completed thereby reducing the overheads for both islands. This is a long process and expensive and does not give any return on investment for long periods, so don’t expect cheap electricity for at least 10 years (Remember it’s got to be WORLDCLASS).
Also for the green lobby, tidal power takes energy from the sea and therefore slows down the rotation of the earth (impact could be millions of years, but the more power you take the quicker the rotation will slow). Just like climate change issues nobody knows how much of impact this will have on the planet or environment….
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Who would own the rights of the electricity and who would set it up? EDF are running trials on the coast of France but with all tidal barraging systems the bearings cannot cope with sea water and spend most of the time being repaired. The only way to overcome this problem is to stop using electricity.
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Don’t compare this project with the ‘Bridge to France’ joke. Jersey has a geographic advantage over most of the world for tidal power due to its massive tidal range. It would make sense to consider this at a serious level and to do this a proper investigation is needed which will cost. Fag packet estimations are not suitable for an engineering project of this scale which would make the waterfront look like a home Airfix kit.
This will help Jersey’s ‘green’ status and would be a good replacement for the new incinerator in 15 – 20 years time. Energy is only going to get more expensive as fossil fuels dimise over the next 20 years plus and demand increases for nuclear – the JEC increase is only the beginning.
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Just use the half million as a subsidy for our power purchased from French and English power plants and that really would give us some cheap electricity.
If and when tidal power becomes viable, a private investor will foot the bill for the study, or maybe it is already a viable option and a private investor is getting the study done for free.
Studies are a very good way of spending lots of money and getting nothing.
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Dear ‘The Optimist’ the pessimist. With regard to tidal power, or at least tides, Jersey is a world leader. Canada can boast higher tides but only off Newfoundland and under the Arctic ice sheet. Jersey has both the tides and the market for the power on it’s doorstep.
Wind farms are fine, but; wind is variable and unreliable; also, wind lacks the sheer kinetic energy of water.
Finally finance is fine, but can be performed almost anywhere in the world; beware the competition. Our tidal range is here in the bay of St Malo; neither politics nor economist can remove this infinite resource.
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