The intention is to absorb the power of the sea with underwater fences, an ambition that has grown considerably from the utopia it was 1,400 years ago. Fourteen centuries ago, the suggestion of using tidal energy was proposed, and it was suggested to apply this principle to tide mills. The earliest examples of this concept go back to about 6000 A.D. Nowadays, this concept has evolved much further than paddle wheels and gates.
Utilizing tidal fence technology, 1,400 years later
Engineers have decided to utilize underwater fences so as to exploit the flow of tides themselves. This is rather ambitious and follows suit from the first proposal in the UK Government’s Severn Embryonic Technology Scheme (SETS) in 2009, as well as the 2015 plan by Kepler Energy for a tidal fence across the Bristol Channel.
Kepler Energy announced its initial plans to build a 30 M tidal fence to be installed between Aberthaw and Minehead in the Bristol Channel. This project put forward the idea of a one-kilometer fence of turbines. The estimated cost to build the tidal fence was around £143 million, and it was said to be operational from 2021.
A key component of the design was to use shallow water with low velocity flows and a structure of carbon composite blades, going beyond and taking care of the struggles faced by traditional turbines. While the scheme was intended to be operational from 2021, it was not without its problems and challenges.
Key problems and challenges with Kepler’s energy concept
Kepler’s energy concept entailed placing a perpendicular fence to the flow where water is backed up against the barrier, creating somewhat of a head, which turbines can exploit. With a longer fence, the blockage tends to be greater per turbine output. Kepler stated that the cost incurred would be around £100–£130 per MWh of utility-scale production, which is far less than that of tidal lagoons and offshore wind.
While Kepler Energy does advocate a strong proposal, the proposal is met with challenges. Setbacks include having to arrange necessary funding. With the chosen site’s tidal currents being relatively lower than currents at prime locations, it is understandable why this project is behind schedule.
What is on the cards next for Kepler’s ambitious energy project?
Still in the planning phases, all documentation related to the project suggests that the project will be operational from 2025. However, the project has not yet advanced to the deployment stage despite the fact that the project had been delayed until this year. There is a serious delay in terms of marine-energy infrastructure in the UK.
While commercial fences are not yet on the cards, Kepler Energy is still on the wavelength that this project holds much potential and promise. The sea is a powerful source of energy, and with the fourth phase, Dodger Bank D, being proposed, 3.6 GW can climb out of the sea. This all shows that we should not turn our backs on the power that can be harnessed from the sea.
Moving towards an energy utopia started 1,400 years ago
The plan to harness tidal power has not changed in the slightest. The concept shaping this energy utopia began about 6000 AD with the proposal of the medieval tide mills of 6000 A.D. This project is, without a doubt, an ambitious one. Kepler’s initial proposal, put forward in 2015, makes the journey ahead seem like a breeze. When the Bristol Channel fence becomes operational, it can become the blueprint for the future of sustainable energy. The fence still needs to be built, and the turbines will still need to turn. With the seafaring dragon harnessing waves, it is a certainty that the sea holds much power.
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