Global Potential for tidal power is 1,000 GW, but costs dampen the prospects
KOLKATA: Global potential for tidal power is huge, and the World Energy Council has estimated that up to 1,000GW of marine energy could be installed by mid-century – equivalent to half of the world’s present coal capacity.
However, the upfront construction costs of the tidal barrage, in addition to associated environmental impacts, remain major obstacles to further development of this energy source, said GlobalData in a recent study.
In terms of its viability, GlobalData’s Power Technology team says that La Rance tidal power station in Brittany, France is the oldest tidal installation in the world. Opened in November 1966. Taking five years to build at a cost of $100m ($790m today) it was the first operation to deploy tidal power as an energy source and continues to provide power for the region.
