Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of renewable power, dating back over 1,400 years to early tide mills. But despite centuries of promise, tidal power still provides a tiny fraction of the world’s electricity. Why?

In this video, we explore the engineering behind tidal range and tidal stream technologies, visit the University of Southampton’s towing tank to see how modern turbines are tested, and look at the projects currently being built in the UK that could finally scale this technology.

We’ll cover the pros—predictability, energy density, low emissions—and the very real challenges—cost, complexity, and limited viable locations. Can tidal power ever compete with wind and solar, or will it remain a niche solution?

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Bookmarks:
00:00 Intro
01:11 History of tidal power
01:55 Tidal range vs tidal stream
02:49 University of Southampton Bouldrewood towing tank
03:27 How does tidal stream work
04:58 Tidal barrage and tidal lagoons
05:35 Current tidal power projects in the UK
08:25 Challenges faced by tidal power
10:27 Environmental challenges with tidal power
11:09 UK tidal energy potential
11:59 The future of tidal power
13:18 Global tidal energy potential
14:36 Outro

Sources:
https://www.perchenergy.com/blog/ener…
https://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy….
https://tethys.pnnl.gov/project-sites…

Tidal Energy: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Future Trends

https://www.theearthandi.org/post/tid….
https://www.pnnl.gov/explainer-articl…
https://assets.publishing.service.gov…
https://marine.gov.scot/sites/default…
https://novainnovation.com/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science…
https://marine.gov.scot/sites/default…
https://saerenewables.com/tidal-strea…
https://www.seastar-tidal.eu/
https://www.researchgate.net/publicat…
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science…
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/10/as-…
https://ore.catapult.org.uk/?orecatap…

A huge thank you to the University of Southampton’s Bouldrewood Towing Tank and Professor Luke Myers and Dr Penny Jeffcoate for the interview and Rodolfo Olvera-Trejo for amazing organisation to get me into the towing tank on short notice!

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/researc…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/…
/ penny-jeffcoate-3990573a

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