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This web site was
created to provide easy access to information about tidal energy projects
proposed in the Puget Sound region of Washington State using Tidal In-Stream
Energy Conversion (TISEC) technologies. TISEC technology has advanced
from the theoretical stage to the pilot stage with pilot projects built
around the world. Permits for full scale development in Great Britain
are proceeding. The project proposals are basically for creating
underwater wind farms with rotors ranging from 5 - 20 meters in diameter.
In
Puget Sound there were 7 proposed projects
by 3 different Proponents.
Tacoma Power proposed to develop tidal energy at the Tacoma Narrows. Their preliminary
feasibility assessment of the site and available technologies does not show
the project as economically nor technically feasible at this time.
Public
Utility District Number 1 of Snohomish
County (SnoPUD)
has proposed projects for Admiralty
Inlet, Agate Pass,
Deception Pass,
Guemes Channel, Rich
Pass, San Juan Channel and Spieden
Channel. SnoPUD surrendered their permits for
Agate and Rich Passages in September of 2008 and and
let the permits for Guemes, San Juan and Spieden
Channels expire. Admiralty Inlet and Deception
Pass are the only locations left in Puget Sound being proposed for tidal energy
development. SnoPUD has filed a draft
license application to develop Admiralty inlet under the FERC Pilot Licensing
process and renewed their permit for Deception Pass.
The
US Navy is planning to
conduct a 1 year research study using Verdant Power
technologies in Puget Sound. The Navy
has not selected a site yet, but is looking at either end of Marrowstone Island or Deception Pass.
The turbines would supply power to local naval facilities.
Tidal
energy has the benefits of being a renewable energy source that is predictable
in time, duration, and production levels for the foreseeable future with
a high level of accuracy. It could also displace the need for other
non-renewable energy sources that contribute to global warming.
But
there are also a lot of unknowns about the effects of tidal energy
development on marine resources. Studies have not been conducted to
identify the effects of these energy projects on marine life. As
projects are planned and developed in the United
States and in Canada, studies will need to be
conducted to analyze the potential effects.
Development
of tidal energy in Puget Sound has the
additional problems of being proposed at a time when millions of dollars are
being spent on the recovery of species listed under the Endangered Species
Act. How would development of tidal energy affect the recovery efforts
of Puget Sound Chinook Salmon, Hood
Canal Chum Salmon, or
the Southern Resident Orca Whales? How would they affect bottom fish
recovery plans? How may the proposed projects affect sediment
deposition by potentially slowing the currents through the project
areas? These and other questions will need to be answered as the
project proposals move forward.
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January 14, 2011
The Daily Climate article "Tidal energy tests the
waters"
News article
December 14, 2010
The Seattle Times article
"UW: Admiralty Inlet an ideal spot for
tidal power"
News Article
September 26, 2010
Seattle PI article
"Experimental tidal energy project moves ahead in Admiralty
Inlet"
News Article
September 25, 2010
Whidbey News-Times
article "Experimental tidal energy project moves ahead
in Admiralty Inlet"
News Article
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