Tides and waves – they carry a tremendous amount of energy. Decades ago, innovative engineers and scientists recognized the potential of generating electricity from the sea as an opportunity for a future energy transition. However, despite many promising attempts, the major breakthrough never came. Why?
To get to the bottom of this question, this documentary embarks on a fascinating search for clues along the coasts of Europe – from Brittany to Scotland to the Faroe Islands.
The first milestone in marine energy, near Saint Malo in France, is the world’s first commercial tidal power plant, that has been reliably supplying electricity for almost 60 years. But despite its success, marine energy is hardly in demand worldwide, as current figures show: less than one percent of renewable energy is currently generated from tidal and wave power.
Why is that? From a steel sea snake designed to convert the power of Scottish waves into electricity to a kind of underwater wind turbine. Promising developments, which the film has been following for more than twenty years, show why new technologies often struggle to gain momentum. And for very different and surprising reasons, as scientists and engineers report.
Despite all the challenges, current projects also give cause for hope: in Scotland, advanced underwater turbines are currently making a surprising comeback. And on the remote Faroe Islands, it is becoming clear that electricity from the sea has a chance.
A film by Michael R. Gärtner.
Commissioned by ZDF/ARTE.