14 DAY TRIAL // It has recently become public news that the US government has finally decided to begin exploiting the country's tidal energy potential.
More precisely, a new project aims to have devices that harvest tidal power installed off the coast of Maine.
Should things go as planned, this would be the first tidal energy project in the US that is actually connected to the national grid and that provides various households and businesses with the electricity they need in order to carry on with their daily routine.
From where we stand, it may very well be the case that the decision to invest in tidal power stems from the fact that an assessment carried out by the Energy Department argued that tidal currents here could generate as much as 250 terawatt hours on a yearly basis.
Moreover, Maine's coastal position makes it a suitable place for the development of a tidal energy industry.
Apparently, nearly $14 million (approximately €11,5 million / ₤9 million) will be made available to allow for this project to be successfully implemented.
As one can easily guess, this decision to invest in developing the country's clean energy sources will also translate into new job opportunities being made available for American citizens, so national economy also stands to benefit from this green-oriented project.
The US Department of Energy informs us that Steven Chu, US's Energy Secretary, made a case of how, “The Eastport tidal energy project represents a critical investment to ensure America leads in this fast-growing global industry, helping to create new manufacturing, construction, and operation jobs across the country while diversifying our energy portfolio and reducing pollution.”
According to the same source, Maine's tidal wave project will first power up to 100 homes, but the count is likely to reach 1,000 if this technology proves to be as efficient as most expect it to be.
As far as we are concerned, it is indeed a good thing that the US is finally looking into the possibility of going green energy wise, and we hope that similar project will soon follow.