Tidal power: The way forward?

Many countries are moving towards alternative and renewable sources of energy because of environmental concerns that has been raised by many environmental organisations. This week’s issue of Asian Power focuses on South Korea’s recent claim of using tidal power to meet its energy requirements in the near future and this project seems very promising.

South Korea, Asia's third-largest economy, plans to build the world's biggest tidal energy plant near Seoul by 2014 with a capacity of 812 megawatts that may cost 1.78 trillion won ($1.9 billion). Tidal power is gained by capturing the energy contained in tides and ocean currents and transforming it electricity for commercial and domestic usage.

The plan is part of South Korea's efforts to diversify its energy sources to and use cleaner fuel. The country aims to reduce its dependency on oil for its energy needs to 35 percent by 2030 from 44 percent in 2005 as prices surge and competition for supplies intensifies, the energy ministry said in November.

A 7,795.2 meter-long (25,576 feet) barrage will connect four islands, including Gangwha Island, 58 kilometers west of Seoul the city office said. The plant will produce 1,536 gigawatt-hour of power a year and save an estimated 320,000 tons of heavy oil annually, it said. Commercial production will begin in 2015 and will help to supply Korea’s growing demand for energy.

With global pressures from environmental organisations for countries to adopt clean energy, hydropower, wind, solar and tidal power plants seem to be the future of power generation. However, the technology for such facilities is very expensive. However, with the costs associated with global warming and depletion of resources, countries seem to prefer the safer option and slowly move towards cleaner and renewable sources of energy. Do you think that these will dominate Asian power dynamics in the future? Is Asia able to cope with such pressures? What is your opinion on that matter?