because this thing is going to go down and it s going to get plugged in, and it s going to work or it s not going to work. this is about balancing technology with nature. this particular area, we have lost about 85%. so how do we protect them while quenching our thirst for clean energy? tidal has a role, the wind doesn t always blow, the tide always keeps going. perhaps this monitor is the answer. we re at nigg in the north east of scotland. it s about the length of a bus. crikey. and the blades go around. all underwater as well. all underwater. so vessels pass over the top, we re eight metres underwater, so the tip of the blade. this tidal turbine is being prepared to go in waters with some of the strongest currents in the world. and underwater that power will push these blades around to make renewable energy, but tidal power isn t yet as developed. this has been in the water for about two years, this turbine does get barnacle growth on it and that does become
to make renewable energy. but tidal power isn t yet as developed as wind power. are those barnacles on there? those are barnacles on there. barnacles on it! so this one s already been underwater. this has been in the water for about two years. this turbine does get barnacle growth on it, and then that becomes food for fish. ah ha. during slack tide, there are fish around these turbines. which would attract these little mammals. which will attract predators. it s a little feeding ground. and the question is then as the flow increases and the turbine goes into production and the blades spin faster, do the fish remain? do the predators come back? do we have an impact on those predators, and is it a detrimental impact? and it s crucial to develop these kinds of turbines in a way that doesn t harm these creatures, which are already under threat from other factors. and in the past, sort of early 2000s, between orkney and the north coast here, we d have had about 9,000 harbour seals. and unfo
we have lost about 85% of our harvest yield. so how do we protect them while quenching our thirst for clean energy? tidal has a role, the wind doesn t always blow, tidal always keeps going. perhaps this monitor is the answer. we re at nigg in the north east of scotland. it s about the length of a bus. crikey. yeah. and the blades go around. all underwater as well. all underwater. so vessels pass over the top, we re eight metres underwater, so the tip of the blade. this tidal turbine is being prepared to go in waters with some of the strongest currents in the world. and underwater that power will push these blades around to make renewable energy, but tidal power isn t yet as developed. this has been in the water for about two years, this turbine does get barnacle growth on it and that does become food for fish. during slack tide there are fish around these turbines. which would attract these mammals. which would attract predators. and the question is then, as the flow increases and the