Tidal Power in the Arm

With the huge differintal in tides in the arm why hasn't anybody tried some kind of tidal power generation there?

Any ideas?

Permalink Reply by Michael on September 7, 2008 at 9:40am: www.merenergy.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mark E Engbretsen on November 3, 2008 at 10:57pm: Talk is talk, once they were elected, they would seriously look into it. Why not now, what are they waiting for. Now is the time, not when the stars are lined up. If they dont get elected will they do nothing? I missed a chance to hit Eathan in Barrow Sunday night.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by JeffM on November 10, 2008 at 2:00pm: Mark:

The energy density is low for tidal power, and the capital cost is high.

There is a study of Alaska tidal power and in-river -hydro available that pretty well lays out the potential.

Probably our best bet is the Susitna Hydro Project, which is located above fish passage barriers, and would produce enough power for the entire rail belt and create a tailwater fishery second to none on the planet.

But we will not ever see this project because of the environmental mania surrounding new dams.

Personally, I would favor a small nuclear plant with a pump hydro set up like PG&E has with Diablo Canyon/Helms to cover peak loads. Save our naural gas for chemical feedstock. Build value added manufacturing facilities in-state and provide incentives,

Instead, we are gong to allow BP, EXXON CONNOCO PHILLIPS to export Alaska gas to make crude from the Alberta Tar sands.

If so, we should insist on an over the top pipeline route o Mckenzie delta and charge a $2 a thousand severance tax on all exported gas which would put about 100 billion in the state treasury without any risk to the state or building a parallel pipeline to Alberta.; ▶ Reply to This