Investigation of the different Power Plant operating in the UK and the Dissertation

Investigation of the different Power Plant operating in the UK and the alternative ways of generating power - Dissertation Example Though the infrastructure for tidal power needs major capital investments, once built, they need very little additional expenses. They will supply electricity for at least three future generations without any fuel being consumed, since the tidal energy comes from the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon. While fossil-fuel plants fill the atmosphere with the greenhouse gas carbon-di-oxide and nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste carrying risk of contamination, tidal power plants are free from greenhouse emissions and are non-polluting. The UK has abundant tidal resources ranging from the Severn Estuary to Solway Firth and Mersey estuaries totaling 42 sites. According to NATTA,The tidal barrage potential of UK is around 20% of its total energy requirements while another 19% of the total energy requirements can be supplied by tidal current power plants. A single barrage at Severn Estuary would provide 6% of UK power needs by generating 8000MW of electricity out of the 30 00GW of tidal power that can be extracted globally. As per another source, at least 5% of UK electricity needs can be supplied from tidal range sources and another 5% power can be obtained from tidal stream technologies to total 10% of its energy requirements from tidal resources. ... Tidal energy technology will help the UK government to achieve its twin energy policy objectives of tackling climate change by reducing carbon-di-oxide emissions and ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy while the country gets increasingly dependent on imported fuels(SDC,2007,p28). By displacing output from fossil-fuelled power plants, the electricity from tidal energy will make a significant contribution to the UK governments energy targets. The variability from tidal energy can be accommodated by upgrading the grid network. In addition, the tidal barrage can protect the estuary from flood risks by providing significant level of coastal protection to low-lying areas.(SDC,2007,p8). Moreover, a barrage can offer leisure and tourism opportunities in a wide variety of activities such as angling, bird-watching and surfing.The Severn Barrage would help to create a number of jobs especially in the construction stages and also cause substantial development of the region and its peopl e by increasing the real estate values and enhancing commercial and residential development .In fact in UK, electricity from the tidal power is the best option for the future to ensure that power generated from renewable energy sources can deliver a 60% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with the proposed Severn Barrage, if constructed and commissioned, constituting 5% contribution to freeing the electric supply from carbon-di-oxide producing technologies. REFERENCE NATTA(n.d,) Renewable Energy in the UK Available at