It appears that the European Union thinks that Finland can get lots of renewable energy from the tides.
Finland is in the Baltic.
There is virtually no rise and fall of tide in the Baltic. A
range of about 0.3 metres in the Kattegat becomes virtually zero
further east.
Can we leave yet?
What’s your view on the collapsed Carbon Capture Storage projet at Peterhead?
Tim adds: A Great pity. There’s a few posts on it if you dig around in the archives.
Tim, re your last question, that’s the point about continually highlighting VAT as the most damaging tax (which it almost certainly is).
Once I have got this message across, people will say “Ah, but we have to have it ‘cos of the EU”, to which the answer is “Well, why don’t we leave then?”. People like you trying to portray VAT as an interest-free loan from the government is not helping the cause much.
So the EU expects Finland, with bugger all tides, to generate lots of tidal energy. Yet at the same time it bans the Seven Barrage which would have tapped into one of the largest tidal differences on the planet. Both of these measures are to aid the enviroment. There is logic in there … somewhere.
I did not know that the EU had banned the Severn Barrage? I know that some Greens do not like the idea but they are in a cleft stick. Of all the renewable options this particular project has legs and we should let it run.
I am completely ignorant of the facts of either case, but may it not be possible that lesser tidal ranges (Bristol Channel has second largest in the world after Bay of Fundy)offer a cheaper, safer and more accessible installation?
Tim adds: Quite possibly, but at the extreme, a tidal range of zero (The Baltic) you get zero energy.
The reason the EU is not happy with the Severn Barrage proposals is because the estuary is a globally unique habitat which is home to rare species, and would be completely lost by the building of such a major structure.
Another idea is to stick in some Tidal Turbines, so the habitat would not be lost as the tides would still reach up the estuary, and we could easily take them out and put in more efficient models as technology improves. When i say easily, i mean easier than taking down a barrage and replacing it when it starts to crumble.
Leave a Reply