Elements of Tidal-Electric Engineering

Book excerpt: The first text to cover all stages of a tidal-electric feasibility study As interest in tidal-electric power generation continues to grow in response to demands for renewable sources of energy, readers can now turn to Elements of Tidal-Electric Engineering for the first comprehensive treatment of the subject. The author, Robert H. Clark, a leader in the field for almost fifty years, has spearheaded several important research projects and consulted with governments and private industries around the world on tidal-electric issues. The focus of this text is the feasibility study. Power engineers gain both the knowledge and the skills needed to accurately determine the feasibility of a proposed tidal power development plan, including: * Major factors to consider in selecting a site for preliminary assessment * Tidal power schemes and mode * Hydraulic and mathematical models of estuaries to predict the estuary's response to physical changes and the effects caused by operation of the proposed plant * Civil works required for tidal power development and the associated tidal generating equipment * Procedures to optimize plant output * Economic evaluation and risk assessment * Environmental impact of proposed construction and operation The book ends with an examination of commercially operating plants and a brief review of sites that have been the subject of investigation in the last half century. References and bibliographies direct readers to primary source material for further study. Until publication of this text, power engineers have had to rely on random journal articles and anecdotal information to perform a feasibility investigation. With the publication of Elements of Tidal-Electric Engineering these engineers have a single, integrated source that methodically covers all the issues.