6-8 PM Heather Gorr
Group L11
COST EFFECTIVENESS OF HARNESSING TIDAL ENERGY
Nathaniel Kissel (nak102@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCTION: HYDROELECTRIC
POWER FROM THE OCEAN
The development of alternative energies has been
staggering in the last decade alone. Alternative energy
production has increased nearly two fold since 2002[1]. One
of the newest ways to harness the earth’s energy is through
the use of the ocean and its tides. Engineers who wish to
harness tidal energy need to overcome the issues of
connecting it to the grid, creating cost effective turbines, and
maintaining a minimal impact on the coastal and shallow
water environments. Despite these challenges, tidal power is
one way that humans can safely and effectively fulfill our
ever growing energy needs. Not only is research within tidal
energy important, but it can help lower prices and
dependence on oils while minimizing many of the negative
effects that many alternative energies are criticized about.
Tidal energy advancement also fits within the codes of ethics
as set forth by the American Society for Mechanical
Engineers and the National Society for Professional
Engineers. I have discovered through the process of writing
this position statement, that this assignment has much little
value past the practice in writing that it gives a student.
Researching a topic is irrelevant to a learning engineer when
I cannot immediately practice in the field that I have interest
in.
ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER
ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES
Tidal energy has many distinct advantages over most
alternative energies. These advantages are important,
because one of the largest reasons that alternative energies
aren’t more widespread is the criticism that they inherit from
their place in nature. Most are seen as ugly, obtrusive, and
ecologically damaging projects that do more harm than
good. The fact that tidal energy cuts down on many of these
negative effects warrants a serious consideration to be put
into funding, research, and development.
Consistency in Oceanic Tides
As the Earth goes through its natural orbit, forces pull on
the oceans, creating tides. The majority of the energy
contained within the tides is generated from the gravitational
forces of the sun and moon on the deep oceans. [2] Tides
represent the raising and lowering of the oceans on a certain
portion of the earth. Both of these forces are very
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
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predictable, leading to predictable tides, and therefore,
generate a reliable source of energy. In contrast, solar and
wind power both rely on weather, which is much more
difficult to predict. The reliability of alternative power is
usually a significant reason that people do not want to switch
to it; however, we can accurately predict the amount of
power a generator can draw in because we can accurately
predict the tides. This consistency is one thing that is nearly
unparalleled in other alternative energies [2].
Less Visible on Natural Landscape
One of the most common complaints against alternative
energies is their unsightly appearance. Tidal power has a
unique solution to this problem that has so far plagued
efforts to lessen oil dependency. The very nature of tidal
power being underwater allows it, in most cases, to be nearly
invisible to onlookers [2]. The submarine nature combined
with strategic placement away from national parks and
common vacation spot will allow tidal power to be
harnessed with virtually no visibility to the outside world. A
lack of visibility is important because other alternative
energies are often shot down by nature enthusiasts who use
the ugliness of windmills, for example, to get the community
to deny the projects.
Impact on the Environment
Another advantage that tidal energy has over other forms
of alternative energy is due to the fact that nearly any coast
in the world can be fitted with generators. Because of the
versatility, generators can be strategically placed to avoid
any major impact on the ecosystem. A main concern with
damming and windmills is their major impact on the
ecosystem that they are in. Windmills are constantly
criticized for killing bats and birds, both of which are
essential in an ecosystem. Dams have a much more obvious
impact on the ecosystem by reducing the amount of species
that can live in the river and also restricting movement along
the river. Both of these give ecological activists enough fire
to tear down a project, however, versatile tidal power can
avoid much of this with proper placement along coasts. The
versatility would make the legal process of getting a project
approved more efficient as there wouldn’t have to be as
many surveys on the area surrounding an energy farm. The
quicker process is an important detail that allows tidal
energy to be more quickly deployed and utilized with a few
projects and tests already being run in New England [3].
Nathaniel Kissel
MEETING THE WORLD’S ENERGY NEEDS
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
As the world’s population increases and more countries
become industrialized and modernized, humans need energy.
The world’s energy usage has realized over 505 quadrillion
BTUs and expected to reach around 619 quadrillion BTUs
by 2020 [4]. The growth in the energy requirements will
need to be filled, however, with current regulation and
refusal of alternative energy; very little options are left to fill
the gap. Tidal energy, however, avoids many of the common
problems that plague other forms of alternative energy.
Engineers are currently trying to find a way that tidal energy
can be part of the world’s energy production.
Widespread Opportunity
The ability for tidal energy to work throughout the world
is one of the most attractive parts of this partial solution to
the world’s energy crisis. Over three quarters of the
countries on Earth have a coastline on an ocean, with more
having coasts on major lakes or landlocked seas. The coastal
areas allow tidal energy to be deployed across most of the
globe, thus helping not only a few lucky countries with the
proper environment for, say wind or solar power, but also
allowing harsh climates to thrive on this power source [5].
This is important because certain alternative energies are
limited in potential based upon where exactly they can be
effective and how widespread the grid actually is. Tidal
power however could be connected to many countries
existing grids with ease because so much of the world’s
population is next to or near coasts. This matters because the
world’s energy grid as a whole is out of date and needs to be
replaced or repaired. The fact that tidal energy is on the
coast, and so is much of the world’s population means that
there wouldn’t need to be a substantial grid in order to get
power to most population centers. The creation of new grids
would be minimal because of the fact that populations are
near the coast. The grids would not need to be extensive, and
could maintain small coastal towns easily.
Partially Solving the Energy Crisis
The energy used by the world is more than any single
alternative energy can harness. Tidal power is a partial
solution to the issue, however by no means a full solution.
Researching new energies is expensive and the initial price
tag seems daunting, however without significant research,
improvement can never be expected. Tidal power has been
researched for decades now, but until significant
improvements can be made, no reasonable price can exist to
install energy farms in the ocean’s coasts [6]. Gradual
implementation is also a solution to the tidal energy
installation, because as some plants are installed; research on
their effects and outputs can be conducted and improved,
giving better plants in the future.
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Tidal energies main ethical obstacle is the environment.
The eighth fundamental canon in the ASME code of ethics
states, “Engineers shall consider environmental impact in the
performance of their professional duties”[7]. This has been a
constant concern for the engineers who launched a project in
Maine [3]. They have carefully chosen only a small portion
of the sea to use for their farm so that the environmental
impact will be minimal. They have carefully chosen a plot
that has little active sea life. As far as the NSPE code states,
no ethical canon is broken by putting tidal turbines in the
oceans, so long as qualified individuals are the ones doing it
[8]. The only ethical consideration that needs to be taken is
that of the environment. This can be carefully followed with
proper planning and research in the areas that planned
turbine farms will be placed.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF ENGINEERING
WRITING
I find this assignment to be valuable to a freshman
engineering student, however I also think that this
assignment has diminished value at this point in my
education. This assignment forced me to look at what
engineers are doing in the world and what problems
engineers are currently focused on, which will help me focus
my education.
Writing as a Skill
Writing is an important skill for an engineer to develop.
Dr. Yale states that writing is, “an obligation to his employer
and to readers as well as himself” [9]. An engineer has to
report both their findings, and their proposed plans in a
coherent and efficient manner. This means that my skill in
writing will be a very effective way to communicate reports
to my future employer. However, this form of writing is not
what an employer will require. A formal report is more
likely the form of writing that I’ll be doing in the future, not
a position paper such as this one [9]. Practicing a formal
report would seem to have more value than this position
paper. Also, a report would force me to practice an
engineering design, no matter how serious the design is. The
concept of problem solving being incorporated into a paper
would help me realize what type of writing I’m going to
need to do in the future.
Involvement in Engineering Society
I believe that the most beneficial part of this paper is that
it forces a learning engineer to participate in the community
that they are going to be part of in the near future. This
community is going to be a large part of my life, and being
Nathaniel Kissel
immersed in it this early is a good step towards comfort
communicating with other professionals within my field, but
also outside of it. I had to present information in a way that
could be easily understood by somebody who didn’t
research the topic. The experience I gained form that alone
will help me convey my ideas to people without the same
background that I have.
CONCLUSION: USING THE OCEAN
SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY
Pursuing alternative energies is important to me because
my future is based around energy needs, and oil is a very
dangerous way to achieve that energy. The oceans are an
incredible force, that given the proper funding, research, and
effort, could power millions of homes and help reduce the
world’s dependency on oils and fossil fuels. The fact that the
earth’s cycle provides the power for the generators gives a
reliable and effective way to meet the ever increasing needs
for energy in our industrializing and modernizing world. As
the world’s energy needs increase, new technologies and
innovations need to be used to fill the gap that is created.
Tidal power has the capability to fill that gap and help
reduce the current use of fossil fuels to provide homes with
power. With significant funding and research, tidal energy
can be a main producer of energy throughout the world as
cheaper and more efficient designs can be created to harness
the force of the oceans. Tidal energy is also, unlike some
other solutions, ethically sound. It fits the codes of the NSPE
and ASME, allowing progress to legally and morally
continue. The purpose of this paper is to educate myself to
be a better engineer. I find this to be a double edged sword
because it does get me involved in the engineering
community, however, it is not the same type of writing that
will be expected of me as a professional.
REFERENCES
[1] T. Schueneman. (June 16, 2012). “Amazing 275%
Growth in Renewable Energy Over the Past Decade”
iSustainableEarth.
(Website).
http://www.isustainableearth.com/energyefficiency/amazing
-275-growth-in-renewable-energy-over-the-past-decade
[2] E. Denny. (May 2009). “The Economics of Tidal
Energy”
Elsevier.
(Online
Article).
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S03014215
09000408
[3] N. Geene. (July 24, 2012). “First U.S. Tidal Power
Project Readies for Launch in Maine” NRDC Blogs. (Blog).
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ngreene/first_us_tidal_po
wer_project_l.html
[4] N. Burton (September 19, 2011). “International Energy
Outlook 2011” USEIA Analysis and Projections. (Online
Article). http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/ieo/
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 3
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[5] Unknown. (September 2011) “What are the Pros and
Cons of Tidal Energy?” Yukozimo Debates. (Online Debate).
http://debate.yukozimo.com/pros-and-cons-of-tidal-energy/
[6] J. Pyper. (August 17, 2011) “The Quest to Make
Hydrokinetic Power a Source of U.S. Energy and Jobs”
New
York
Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/08/17/17climatewirethe-quest-to-make-hydrokinetic-power-a-sourc63592.html?pagewanted=all
[7]ASME. (June 10, 1998). “Code of Ethics of Engineers”
ASME
Code
of
Ethics.
(Online).
http://sections.asme.org/colorado/ethics.html
[8] NSPE. (2012). “Code of Ethics of Engineers” NSPE
Code
of
Ethics.
(Online).
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
[9] S. Yale. (Winter 1971). “Writing Courses for Engineers”
Taylor
and
Francis.
(Database
Article).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/27563169.pdf
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my friends Adam Whitely, Nick
Beardsley and Julia Verbiar for providing support
throughout the writing of this paper as well as helping my
research on the topic.