San Francisco is already known for its progressive stance on the environment, so it comes as no surprise that the city by the bay is once again exploring its environmental options when it comes to energy production. Aside from wind and solar, which it already encourages and has seen implemented on a fairly large scale, San Francisco is now turning to the power of the ocean for yet another clean renewable energy source. But the cost of the project is causing many in both fiscal and environmental circles to ask if the expense is worth the return.
Having been in the works for over 4 years, the San Francisco tidal project is now in its “final stages” according to the city’s mayor Gavin Newsome. The project will be deployed near the waters of the Golden Gate bridge as is expected to produce 10 to 30 MW of electricity with a capacity to produce up to 100 MW in the future. It will be the first large commercial scale tidal power project in the United States.
Tidal power generation is a relative newcomer to the renewable energy sector, but it already contains within it 50+ devices and methods of harnessing ocean power. Some devices like the Pelamis use the pitching motion of the ocean to drive pistions within it to produce power. Other devices like bioWave and WaveRoller use biomimicry to produce power. There’s also the Wave Dragon, OceanLinx, Aquabuoy, and the list goes on. Some of these devices like the CETO can even provide both wave power and desalination.
Whatever San Francisco officials finally settle on as their chosen system, they can be certain that it will still essentially be in the prototype stages of its development as all tidal power generation systems have yet to be fully tested over the long term. Needless to say, the newer and more cutting edge a technology, the more expensive it is to run it and maintain it. Such is the case as well with tidal power (unfortunately). According to a 2008 study developed for the California Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative, wave and marine power generation, within California specifically, can cost as much as $445 per MWH. When compared to other renewables like wind, solid biomass, hydroelectric and geothermal, which have energy generation costs nearing $150 per MWH as well as proven generation track records, the economic practicality and feasibility of deploying a tidal project for the city definitely becomes an issue. Despite this, Mayor Newsome is a strong proponent of the project and plans are still moving forward for its implementation.
The Good: An endless supply of clean renewable energy is being utilized.
The Bad: Compared to other cheaper and more proven methods of clean energy generation, tidal power for San Francisco seems far too expensive. Technology is still being perfected. Maintenance issues plague many tidal power systems.
The Bottom-Line: San Francisco’s drive to become more environmentally benign should be applauded, but just because something that could potentially be environmentally beneficial can be done doesn’t necessarily mean that it should…particularly when there are more less expensive and viable alternatives.
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