Pros
- ocean power is predictable
- conditions can be foreseen days before
- has high “power density”
- significant wave resource
- Hawaii, Alaska, Korea, France, etc
PROs (South Korea)
LOCAL
- Secure, non-polluting energy supply
- Creation of short-term, construction-related jobs
- Achievement of national goals to reduce greenhouse gasses (GHGs)
- Fiscal saving from reducing imports of fossil fuel
- Immediate stimulation of employment
- Achievement of global goals to reduce GHGs
- Delay in the depletion of fossil fuels
cons
- The cost of installation of the turbine is very high
- The tidal power stations only generate electricity when the tide is flowing in or out. (The tide only flows ten hours a day.)
- It could harm the sea creatures and cause environmental problems in the oceanic ecosystem.
- Heavy and strong currents can damage the equipment.
Cons (South korea)
LOCAL
- Destruction of ecosystem
- Decline of local fisheries and related long-term jobs
- Lost opportunity for long-term jobs in eco-tourism and related fields
- Increased risk of flooding
- Impact on natural landscape
- Large initial cost for construction
- Decline or extinction of legally protected species
- Decline of fisheries and eco-tourism along the west coast and associated possible long-term net loss in employment
- Disruption of tidal processes in Yellow Sea
- Decline of biodiversity
- Destruction of globally unique ecosystems and natural landscapes
Tradeoffs of tidal power projects, at various scales. © Ko and Schubert.
Ko, Yekang, and Derek K. Schubert. "South Korea's Plans for Tidal Power: When a "Green" Solution Creates More Problems." Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
Ko, Yekang, and Derek K. Schubert. "South Korea's Plans for Tidal Power: When a "Green" Solution Creates More Problems." Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.