Effects and Use

Without tides the earth would be a much different place as they play a large part in regulating the earth’s climate. Scientists suggest that strong ocean tides affect changes in climate because of their ability to increase vertical mixing or tidal mixing in the ocean, thus transporting cold ocean water to the surface. Large scale tidal activity create large scale internal waves that bring forth cool conditions on the surface which in turn affects temperatures in the air and over land, resulting in cooler climates around the globe; referred to as up-welling. Down-welling is caused by weaker tides and essentially has the opposite effect as it leads to less water mixing resulting in warmer periods on earth. It is theorised that a large proportion of marine life could not be supported if there were no tides as they also rely on tidal mixing for successful reproduction and regulation of ocean temperatures.

The predictability of tides also makes it easier to harness tidal power or tidal energy, more so than the less regular sources of wind energy or solar energy. This renewable energy source from tides is generally used to generate electricity. Running tidal power has always been an expensive process, this is nonetheless changing with technological developments and improvements making it much more accessible. Ireland has its own potential tidal energy resource off the east coast as the region’s tidal flow is strong for electricity generation.