Clean, predictable & efficient.
Put a wind farm underwater.
It would work almost all the time, stay out of sight, and hardly disturb ecology. The Solent is a good spot for a tidal power electricity generator. The tides are strong, regular and deep. With a chalk bottom, it can be anchored easily.
Tides, driven by the moon, are active all the time. The Atlantic gives the sea a long time to work up a powerful drive through the Solent. The narrows at the western end of the Solent are said to be deep enough to avoid collisions. A current turbine is significantly smaller than an equivalent wind turbine producing the same amount of energy.
Bearing in mind we have beached whales from time to time, safety to underwater creatures is important. Turbine blades spin at about 6 mph, and the creators of a large model tested off Devon: “they won’t be a threat to sea life”.
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