14 DAY TRIAL // Scotland has some very big plans for its energy sector (i.e. it wants to have its clean power output match its overall use by 2020), and scientists might have found just the thing the country needs to see this dream come true.
Not to beat about the bush, recent investigations have shown that, if exploited properly, a single stretch of water located off the country's northern coast could generate enough power to meet roughly 50% of Scotland's needs.
Thus, it would appear that the tidal energy potential of this region is one of approximately 1.9 gigawatts. According to Click Green, this energy capacity is greater than that of a nuclear power station.
The same source details that the stretch of water in question is located in the Pentland Firth, between mainland Scotland and Orkney. By the looks of it, tidal currents in this area are some of the fastest thus far documented around the United Kingdom.
In order to make the most of the energy generating potential of these waters, turbines that harvest tidal power would have to be set in place across the channel's entire width.