
644 Principles of Sustainable Energy Systems
© 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
increased in height using the effect of concentration, as shown schematically [9] in the
Severn Estuary near Cardiff in Wales (Figure 11.13).
Although many tidal systems have been proposed, the only major tidal power plant
that has been constructed and operated is the La Rance Tidal Power Plant in France
(Figure 11.14). The barrage for the plant was built in the 1960s near St. Maillot. A dam,
330 m long, was built in front of a 22 km
2
basin at a location where the tidal range
was8m. The plant consists of 24 bulb-type turbine generators, 5.35 m in diameter,
rated at ...