If as we are told by seemingly everyone these days that the world is warming up and the ice caps are melting, why do the bearded tree huggy types allow the great estuaries to be converted to dams to generate HEP.
They say that the water fowl will loose thier habitats if dams are built, but surely common sense allows that if the polar ice caps are melting, then the sea levels will rise and the mud will disappear, the mud will go one way or the other.
HEP is clean energy, the tides turn twice a day giving a guaranteed 4 cycles in 24 hours, unlike wind farms that only operate when there is wind!
2006-09-05 14:32:25 · 6 answers · asked by rodesby 1 in Environment
Why do you need a dam?
You can use the flow to generate power simply by sinking propellor driven generators on the riverbed.Check this site for more information.
2006-09-05 18:49:14 · answer #1 · answered by NEIL C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The land around the estuary is low lying. If a dam was built it would flood land upstream which is inhabited also the 'Severn Bore' would be a problem.
A tidal mill across the Wash would be a better bet. There are old examples of such mills so we know the technology works.
BUT all these are costly and less certain than nuclear.
RoyS.
2006-09-05 18:55:33 · answer #2 · answered by Roy S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well there currently is a proposal to construct a barrage across the Severn Estuary from Penarth in South Wales to Brean Down in Somerset. It is currently in the development stage and plans are facing objections from FOE Cymru.
2006-09-05 20:43:59 · answer #3 · answered by hauxwelllee 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you don't need to build a damn just need to harness the power of the tide, the severn estuary has the 2nd biggest tidal range in the world and as a result building a tidal barrage to harness the power would create loads of electricity without ever damaging the wildlife
2006-09-06 00:32:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are underwater turbines already operating off the devon coast. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/england/2741847.stm
Large dams are economically very expensive to build, concrete is on of the major sources of CO2 from the UK, are prone to silting up, and indeed are environmentally damaging, However if someone could make money then they would be built, but the returns do not cover the outlay, unless you can get government subsidy as in the case of nuclear.
a visit to Centre for Alternative Technology, www.cat.org.uk, would help you understand what some of the options are for a healthy sustainable future are, and the issues surrounding them. (they are not "bearded tree huggy types" whatever they are - I assume it is a Daily Mail term of derision for anyone who questions their status quo - but based on sound economic and engineering practice, unlike most UK businesses based on unsustainable industrial growth models using finite resources) I certainly would not rely on the UK media to give any helpful information.
2006-09-06 02:25:37 · answer #5 · answered by fred 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as has been suggested there are better ways to create hydro electricty than a dam, the barrier is a good idea to produce electricity, they can design a system that can be lifted or lowered to allow ships traffic
2006-09-06 09:41:32 · answer #6 · answered by mini prophet of fubar 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋