This island may be the first to get powered by tides in the Netherlands

Ameland will get electricity generated from a technology called ‘tidal kite’

The small Dutch island of Ameland, located in the Wadden Sea will be the site of the first electricity generated by the power of sea tides in the country. The project, which seeks to test a new technology called TidalKite will add a new dimension to the concept of renewable energy sources.

Dutch green electricity generation is dominated by wind farms and some solar as well. However, this new project seeks to utilize the power of the sea and the predictability of its tides.

Electricity can be generated by using the energy from the ebb and flow of the tides in the Wadden Sea. For this purpose, the company SeaQurrent has developed its “tidal kite”, which spins figures of eight on a cable connected to a generator on the seabed. The produced electricity then gets transported through cables on the land.

Also testing the environmental benefits

The scheme fits in with Ameland’s plans to become CO2 neutral by 2035, 15 years ahead of the rest of the country. Many of the island’s inhabitants already have shares in the local solar park on the island.  Wind farms are not an option because the turbines would spoil the island’s natural beauty, the local authorities have said.

Then there’s the question of the environmental impact of the underwater kite, and more specifically that on marine wildlife. According to biologists, in order to accommodate the new technology other unsustainable activities, such as gas exploitation and fishing would have to cease.

There’s also the business side of things. The installation of such tidal kites would be more expensive than the installation of wind turbines and solar panels. On the other hand, though, tides are a regular and predictable natural force, which makes them more suitable for exploitation, unlike sunshine and wind.

If the pilot project is deemed suitable it will then be scaled up, with the usage of larger kites.