Tidal barrages creates renewable energy but also have many drawbacks with it. The tidal barrage has the same concept as a hydro- electric dam except the barrage is bigger. The barrage is built between an estuary and the sea. The water ( when it is going in and out) the water flows through tunnels in the dam. The water pushes air into the turbine and generates electricity or the water pushes the turbine by itself. Large lock gates similar to ones used in canals are being used for the barrages. A Severen barrage can produce more than 12 power stations of energy or less than 3 power stations( it depends on size and location). A small nuclear core costs about 750 million in US dollars but a tidal barrage can cost more than £15 billion. Doing a little math and the cost for 12 small nuclear core would be about 900,000 in US dollars. Because a tidal barrage costs are in pounds the currency rate would be 1.52 and the tidal barrage could cost a significantly more but tidal barrages give renewable clean energy while nuclear power stations give out pollution and are not renewable and costs electricity to run. A tidal barrage also gives protection against tidal waves. The tidal barrage also provides a road bridge.
But there are cons to the barrage. The estuary brings waste to the sea but if there is a barrage in between those too the waste goes significantly slower. The barrage would also change how far the tide goes out and it would not go out as far changing the environment. A example would be 80,000 birds who feed on mud flats can't anymore because the tide won't go out properly anymore. All in all a tidal barrages can have many cons but they provide clean , renewable energy (which the world is in dire need because fossil fuels are running out).
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rance_Tidal_Power_Station
Author: Darvill, A
Title: Tidal Power
Accessed Jan, 2015
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