Tidal

Tidal energy harnesses the power found in the rise and fall of the tides. Some tidal energy projects make use of kinetic energy from water currents to turn turbines, similar to how wind turbines operate. Other tidal projects use barrages or dams across a tidal estuary and are similar to hydro dams in that they capture the potential energy from water moving between high and low tide. Other types of tidal power that combine the kinetic and potential energy of tides are still in development.

On Haida Gwaii
A local company has created a unique prototype that uses a tidal-powered pump to push water to a reservoir. During slack tide, the water from the reservoir flows down into a hydro turbine that would be connected to a generator to produce electricity.

Advantages
Tidal energy is a predictable and continuous energy source. Haida Gwaii’s large fluctuating tides, make it an ideal place to utilize energy from the tides.

Considerations
Depending on the device and the location, tidal energy should have low ecological effects, but all ocean energy projects do have some repercussions. There can be construction and operation impacts, as well as limited site availability. Although there have been tidal energy projects around for many decades, newer, more effective technologies are still considered developing technologies.