I mean, my main worry with this is the impact on the ecosystem (just look at the disruption hydro dams can create), but as long as it's done well I think it's a great step forward in more clean energy sources
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It's not a dam. It simply utilises the movement of the tide to turn a turbine. Can you give an example of the negative effect that could have on the ecosystem?
aug 23, 2025, 4:37 pm • 6 0 • view
My initial thought would be noise pollution but deep drilling literally already causes insane amounts of damage and not just from the noise alone either. Sooo yeah, I'll take the clean turbine please.
aug 23, 2025, 6:12 pm • 5 0 • view
There's also the very good possibility of the turbine blades damaging wildlife including potentially killing soft-bodied creatures like jellyfish
aug 24, 2025, 3:08 am • 0 0 • view
Is there? Do you have evidence? Remember that the tide turns the turbine. The blades don't turn on their own. They aren't propellers; they don't create water flow.
aug 24, 2025, 7:14 am • 0 0 • view
Do you know what happens to jellyfish put in a square aquarium? They get damaged and die. They would get pushed into the turbine blades by the tide.
aug 24, 2025, 7:20 am • 0 0 • view
A design for a turbine would have to include a way to divert anything flowing with the tide, such as seaweed (and sadly these days, plastic), away from the blades. If jellyfish have no means of locomotion (I thought they did, but could be wrong) then that includes them.
aug 24, 2025, 7:30 am • 0 0 • view
Noise pollution was my first thought as well, but I can't see that being worse than other noise caused by shipping. I genuinely wondered if there was anything else. The blades turn with the tide, they don't drive it. Is there an ecosystem downside?
aug 23, 2025, 6:17 pm • 3 0 • view
I'm certain there's at least something right? The earth is a system so however small the change is it will affect something in some way. Maybe a reduction in the speed of the currents causing a shift in the global ocean currents?
aug 23, 2025, 6:25 pm • 1 0 • view
But this is a tidal generator so I doubt it's even affecting currents in a significant way. Honestly no idea, but I'm a fan of harm reduction so lets get it.
aug 23, 2025, 6:30 pm • 1 0 • view
That sounds like a stretch to me. Do wind turbines reduce wind currents?
aug 23, 2025, 6:28 pm • 4 0 • view
www.popsci.com/science/arti... Initial reading says yes but it's negligible until you reach a certain scale or poorly plan your turbine layout.
aug 23, 2025, 6:38 pm • 2 0 • view
Fair point. Thanks for the link.
aug 23, 2025, 6:43 pm • 1 0 • view
I think physics implies that the energy that was once moving the wind is now moving a turbine and won't be applied to whatever else it would have. I think it's a pretty negligible effect but that energy came from somewhere and had a destination before we captured it.
aug 23, 2025, 6:33 pm • 0 0 • view
Animals literally getting torn to shreds in said turbine??? Like just think about it for a sec
aug 23, 2025, 4:59 pm • 0 0 • view
Do they? If so, they don't have to. That would be a design flaw.
aug 23, 2025, 5:06 pm • 2 0 • view