Climate Education
How Waves Make Electricity: Wave Power!
November 22, 2024
Guide for Middle Schoolers
If you are an educator and want to join the EARTHDAY.ORG network, consider supporting our mission to put climate education into every single classroom around the world and please utilize these free resources on climate education and why it matters here.
If you are a teacher in the K – 12 grades please consider utilizing our free guide, The School Guide to Teaching Climate Education, because you can never start teaching students about climate change early enough!
Now let’s talk about wave power!
What is Tidal Energy?
Tidal energy is like magic from the ocean! It’s a special type of energy that comes from the movement of water in the seas. There are four cool ways to capture this energy:
- Tidal Barrage: A big dam in the ocean with gates. It holds water when the tide comes in and lets it out when the tide goes out, spinning turbines to make electricity.
- Tidal Stream: Underwater turbines that work like fans. They spin with the ocean currents created by tides, generating electricity.
- Wave: Machines that move up and down with ocean waves. This movement turns gears to create electricity, like bouncing on a trampoline!
- Ocean thermal: Uses warm water on the surface and cold water below. The temperature difference makes a gas spin a turbine to generate electricity.
Each of these uses water in its own unique way to create electricity!
Why Do We Need Tidal Energy?
Did you know that about 3 billion people live near coastlines? That’s almost half of all the people in the world! Using tidal energy is super smart because it can help provide power to all those people while being friendly to our planet. Tidal energy comes from the movement of ocean tides, which means it’s always available as long as the tides are flowing.
This is great because tidal energy helps us make clean electricity without causing pollution. Unlike fossil fuels, like coal and oil, tidal energy doesn’t release harmful gasses into the air. These gasses can trap heat in our atmosphere and make the Earth warmer, which is called climate change. Climate change can cause problems like stronger storms, rising sea levels, and changes in weather patterns.
By using tidal energy, we reduce the pollution that contributes to climate change. Plus, tidal energy systems can protect coastlines from erosion and help keep ocean habitats safe. So, by choosing tidal energy, we can power our homes and schools while taking care of our planet and ensuring a healthier future for everyone!
Plus, the ocean is always moving, which means tidal energy is reliable and strong!
Meet the Biggest Tidal Power Plant!
In South Korea, there’s a giant tidal power plant called the Sihwa Lake tidal power station. It can produce 254 megawatts of electricity! Wow, that’s a lot! To give you an idea, 1 megawatt can power about 800 to 1,000 homes. So, when you add it all up, 254 megawatts can power around 200,000 to 254,000 homes. That’s like a small city! This shows just how powerful tidal energy can be in providing electricity for so many people.
This plant uses special turbines and gates to harness the energy of the water. It’s like having a big water wheel that turns and creates power!
Fun Projects on the Horizon!
South Korea is also working on exciting new projects, like a wave energy converter that can help power remote islands. This means even places far from the mainland can get energy from the ocean waves!
Schooling for Sustainability!
Since 2022, schools in South Korea have started teaching kids about climate change and how to take care of the Earth. They’re making sure that students learn important skills for a greener future!
Did you know that 70% of high school graduates in South Korea go to college? At places like Sejong University, students can study things like Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, which help them learn how to protect our planet!
Across the globe, many other schools are exploring the benefits of tidal energy to power their campuses. For example, Portsmouth High School in the United Kingdom has worked with local tidal energy projects, allowing students to learn about renewable energy firsthand.
In Canada, The Pearson College has partnered with researchers to study the effects of tidal energy on the environment, allowing students to learn about tidal energy and preparing them for jobs in the field.
In the United States, University of Washington has engaged in projects that study the potential of tidal energy, and The University of Maine incorporates tidal energy into its curriculum, offering hands-on experiences with tidal turbines and marine renewable energy technologies.
Green Schools = Happy Jobs!
As part of a big plan called the Korean New Deal, South Korea is investing a whopping 15.3 trillion won to create green and smart schools! This means more job opportunities in fields related to clean energy. By 2025, it’s expected that nearly 400,000 new jobs will be created. That’s a lot of new friends to help the planet!
The Future is Bright with Tidal Energy!
As the world works toward a greener future, we support climate education and training in schools. This way, they can teach people how to design and maintain cool renewable energy systems, from tidal to wind, to solar, geothermal and hydroelectric. Tidal energy is just one part of the adventure, and it’s exciting to think about what the future holds for our oceans and the people living by them!
So, next time you see the waves at the beach, remember that they’re not just for playing; they’re also a powerful source of energy that can help our world!
If you are a student and want to learn more about the other renewable energy sources you can here in The Middle Schoolers Guide to Renewable Energy and consider exploring these books:
The Boy Who Harnessed Wind, Young Reader’s Edition by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer, best for ages 8 to 12
The book takes place in a place where resources are limited. Following the main character, readers experience courage, hope, and resiliency, that comes with determination and ingenuity.
Planet Power: Explore the World’s Renewable Energy by Stacy P. Clark, best for ages 8 to 12
What is renewable energy? Clark discusses wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy—in a way that is both accessible and exciting.
Solar Story by by Allan Drummond, best for ages 4 to 8
This book is based on the origin story of a solar installation in Toucan, Mali. This follows the changes of solar on a community.
Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future by James Morton Turner, best for ages 12 to 16
James Turner discusses the extraction of raw materials like lithium and cobalt, the environmental costs of battery production, and the broad scaling of supply chains. He emphasizes the need for sustainable practices in battery innovation. Furthermore, the need for sustainable technologies to meet the demand for electricity.
