Tidal Energy

Singapore have plans to develop a network of alternate energies which includes tidal energy. The first tidal energy generator was built and designed by Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute. Tidal energy has many disadvantages which limit its usage in Singapore.

  • Tidal energy requires high tides to produce sufficient amount of useful energy. Singapore has low tides thus it is not possible to produce enough energy to meet the demand by using tidal energy unless new technology is to be developed to produce electricity at a higher efficiency.
  • Large turbines have a great impact on marine life: they may disrupt the tides that they are trying to harness, suck & strike organisms with their propellers, emit sounds of different frequencies and amplitudes affecting sea mammals. In a maritime nation like Singapore with small boundaries, there are limited number of places that could build such turbines while avoiding sea lanes..
  • The salt level inside tidal barrages is lower, causing the death of some organisms that are the food sources of many birds and mammals.
  • Mechanical fluids, which consist of several dangerous chemicals, may leak out and harm marine organisms.

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