Where Tidal Energy is
Most Effective
Commercially operating a tidal energy power plant originally required a difference in water table (tidal range) from low to high tide of at least five meters. These relatively large differences in water level are only seen in bays or estuaries of rivers, which severely limits the number of potentially suitable locations.
A new approach to turn tidal forces into electrical energy is offered by power plants that work according to the so-called "underwater wind farm" principle. They don't use the tidal range but instead harness the power of ocean currents caused by tides. In this area, Europe has one of the highest-yield marine energy sources in the world. The rhythm of the tides is especially regular along England's coast, so that generating energy there is extremely predictable and the maximum capacity of the tidal stream energy power plant remains stable from day to day. In Germany such power plants are less productive due to slower currents in the North and Baltic Seas.
