Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant
Encyclopedia
Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station is the world's largest tidal power
installation, with a total power output capacity of 254 MW, surpassing the 240 MW Rance Tidal Power Station after 45 years.
The tidal barrage
makes use of a seawall
constructed in 1994 for flood mitigation and agricultural purposes. Ten 25.4 MW submerged bulb turbine
s are driven in an unpumped flood generation scheme; power is generated on tidal inflows only and the outflow is sluiced away. This slightly unconventional and relatively inefficient approach has been chosen to balance a complex mix of existing land use, water use, conservation, environmental and power generation considerations.
The tidal power station is providing indirect environmental benefits as well as renewable energy generation. After the seawall was built, pollution built up in the newly created Sihwa Lake reservoir
, making its water useless for agriculture. In 2004, seawater was reintroduced in the hope of flushing out contamination; inflows from the tidal barrage are envisaged as a complementary permanent solution.
Cost of the project was met by the South Korean Government
, totalling 313.5 billion won
. Mean operating tidal range is 5.6 m (18 ft), with a spring tidal range of 7.8 m (26 ft). The working basin area was originally intended to be 43 square kilometre although this has been reduced by land reclamation and freshwater dykes. The basin will eventually be only around 30 square kilometre.
Tidal power
Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity....
installation, with a total power output capacity of 254 MW, surpassing the 240 MW Rance Tidal Power Station after 45 years.
The tidal barrage
Tidal barrage
A tidal barrage is a dam-like structure used to capture the energy from masses of water moving in and out of a bay or river due to tidal forces....
makes use of a seawall
Seawall
A seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
constructed in 1994 for flood mitigation and agricultural purposes. Ten 25.4 MW submerged bulb turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s are driven in an unpumped flood generation scheme; power is generated on tidal inflows only and the outflow is sluiced away. This slightly unconventional and relatively inefficient approach has been chosen to balance a complex mix of existing land use, water use, conservation, environmental and power generation considerations.
The tidal power station is providing indirect environmental benefits as well as renewable energy generation. After the seawall was built, pollution built up in the newly created Sihwa Lake reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, making its water useless for agriculture. In 2004, seawater was reintroduced in the hope of flushing out contamination; inflows from the tidal barrage are envisaged as a complementary permanent solution.
Cost of the project was met by the South Korean Government
Government of South Korea
The Government of South Korea is divided into executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The executive and judicial branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and...
, totalling 313.5 billion won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
. Mean operating tidal range is 5.6 m (18 ft), with a spring tidal range of 7.8 m (26 ft). The working basin area was originally intended to be 43 square kilometre although this has been reduced by land reclamation and freshwater dykes. The basin will eventually be only around 30 square kilometre.