A review of tidal current energy resource assessment: Current status and trend

Renewable energy resources is one of the alternative energy source identified to address the issue of climate change, energy security and economic growth. Tidal energy is a predictable and reliable source of energy where the exploitable capacity is potentially huge, dispersed in different locations globally. The focus of extracting energy from tides has shifted from the traditional tidal barrages to tidal current energy converters. This paper looks into the different aspects that could be considered for tidal current turbines deployment focusing on site specific matters. Identifying the tidal velocity and mean kinetic energy flux is one of the first aspects of resource assessment when identifying a potential site. This ensures that any device deployed would be able to operate optimally. Different installation schemes are considered where currently, seabed installation is the preferred method. Another factor that needs to be considered is the distance of the tidal power plant from shore where the more remote the location the more power transmission cables needed. This reflects on the costs incurred where therefore a balance between the technical and site optimization has to be the most economical as well.