ENE 412

NON CONVENTIONAL ENERGY SYSTEMS

TOPIC: LIMITATION OF TIDAL ENERGY AND

POTENTIAL OF TIDAL ENERGY IN INDIA

Submitted by: Mayank kiran khobragade

EN/2K14/031
LIMITATION OF TIDAL ENERGY:
The tidal energy is not likely to be a potential
source of energy in future due to the following
limitations:
1)Cost of construction of tidal power plant is
high.

2) There are very few ideal locations for

construction of plant and they too are localized
to coastal regions only.

3) Intensity of sea waves is unpredictable and

there can be damage to power generation units.

4) Influences aquatic life adversely and can

disrupt migration of fish.

5) The actual generation is for a short period of

time. The tides only happen twice a day so
electricity can be produced only for that time.

6) Frozen sea, low or weak tides, straight

shorelines, low tidal rise or fall are some of the
obstructions.

7) This technology is still not cost effective and

more technological advancements are required
to make it commercially viable.

8) Usually the places where tidal energy is

produced are far away from the places where it
is consumed. This transmission is expensive and
difficult.

Tidal Energy is thus a clean source of energy and

doesn’t require much land or other resources as
in harnessing energy from other sources.
However, the energy generated is not much as
high and low tides occur only twice a day and
continuous energy production is not possible.
Disadvantages of Tidal Barrages
 They change the movement of water into and
out of estuaries, which can disrupt the life
cycles of certain marine life.
 They can prevent the movement of fish and
other wildlife into and out of estuaries, which
can disrupt spawning.
 Turbines can kill wildlife that tries to swim
through them.
 They can increase silt deposits, which can
block out sunlight and prevent plants from
growing
 They can change the structure of the coast
and lead to erosion of dunes and other critical
habitat
 They prevent access to rivers and cut off
shipping
 Costly to build
 Locations are highly limited
Disadvantages of Tidal Stream Generators
 Spinning blades can kill marine wildlife
 Acoustic disturbances can affect migration and
other aspects of marine life
  They can change the movement and rise of
tides
 They can interfere with shipping channels
 They are more prone to damage by high waves
and rough water than other systems
Disadvantages of Dynamic Tidal Power Schemes
 They are very costly
 They are untested and therefore their
usefulness and environmental impacts are
unknown
 They can disrupt migration of marine life
 They can change coastal structures in
unpredictable ways
 POTENTIAL OF TIDAL ENERGY IN INDIA
The tides rise and fall in eternal cycles. Tides are
changes in the level of the oceans caused by the
gravitational pull of the moon and sun and the
rotation of the earth. Near shore water levels
can vary up to 40 feet, depending on the season
and local factors. Only about 20 locations have
good inlets and a large enough tidal range—
about 10 feet—to produce energy economically.
The generation of electricity from tides is similar to
hydroelectric generation, except that tidal water
flows in two directions. The simplest generating
system for tidal plants involves a dam, known as a
barrage, across an inlet. Sluice gates on the
barrage allow the tidal basin to fill on the incoming
high tides and to empty through the turbine
system on the outgoing tide, known as the ebb
tide.
Flood-generating systems that generate power
from the incoming tide are possible, but are less
favoured than ebb generating systems. Two-way
generation systems, which generate electricity on
both the incoming and ebb tides, are also possible.
The construction of a tidal barrage in a inlet can
change the tidal level in the basin. It can also have
an effect on the sedimentation and turbidity of the
water within the basin. In addition, navigation and
recreation can be affected. A higher tidal level can
cause flooding of the shoreline, which can affect
the local marine food chain.
Potentially the largest disadvantage of tidal power
is the effect a tidal station has on the plants and
animals that live within an estuary. Since few tidal
barrages have been built, very little is known
about the full impact of tidal power systems on the
local environment. In every case, it will depend on
the local geography and marine ecosystem.
Out of the 8,000 MW of tidal energy, 7,000 MW is
present in the Gulf of Khambhat, 1,200 MW in the
Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and about 100 MW in the
Gangetic delta in Sunderbans in West Bengal.
Estimated Potential of Tidal Energy in India is about
8000MW:
Minister of State (IC) for Power and New &
Renewable Energy, informed that as per a study
conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology,
Chennai, in association with CRISIL (Credit Rating
Information Services of India Limited) Risk and
Infrastructure Solutions Limited, there is an
estimated potential of about 8000 MW of tidal
energy, with 7000 MW in the Gulf of Kambhat,
1200 MW in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and
about 100 MW in the Gangetic delta in
Sunderbans in West Bengal.
India boasts of 7,500 kilometres long coastline,
being one of the 20 places worldwide where the
height of the high tide is over five metres higher
than the low tide to capture the tidal power
potential.
India has been looking at generating electricity via
tidal power since the 1980s. There were project
reports prepared for harnessing this energy from
the Panchapada River in Odisha and the Andaman
& Nicobar Islands.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy made
an assessment of the potential of tidal energy in
India, it is estimated that the country can produce
7000 MW of power in the Gulf of Khambhat in
Gujarat, 1200 MW of power in the Gulf of Kutch in
Gujarat and about 100 MW of power in the
Gangetic delta of Sunderbans in West Bengal.