5.1.

4 Project: Evaluate Wave and Tidal Power

Technology Project
Earth Science Sem 2 Name: Isabella Lopez
Date:

Evaluate Wave and Tidal Power Technology

In this project, you will evaluate technology designed to harness the energy of waves
and tides to generate electricity. Engineers are trying to reduce problems related to
electricity use. First, you will do research, gathering data to quantify these problems.
You will also find out more about how technologies based on wave and tidal power
work. Next, you will choose a wave- or tidal-power device and describe the criteria
and constraints of its design. Then you will explain how engineers are testing that
design. You will explain how the device is being evaluated based on how well it
meets its criteria and constraints. You will pay close attention to environmental and
cultural impacts. Finally, you'll propose possible refinements to the technology.

Background

You have learned about some ways of generating electricity. You've also learned
about their impacts on the environment. Collecting data to quantify environmental
impacts helps scientists understand the extent of these effects. The data also help
them determine whether problems are getting better or worse over time. Engineers
can use the data to identify specific problems they can solve. They can also use the
data to determine whether the solutions they developed are working.

One important area of environmental impact is climate change. Scientists have

many ways to quantify climate change. For instance, they measure global
temperatures to find out whether and how they are changing. Scientists also
measure changes in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. To
quantify the impacts of climate change, they have also found ways to measure
changes in sea levels and in the mass of ice in the vast ice sheets covering
Antarctica and Greenland.
Scientists can also use data to analyze the sources of CO2 in the atmosphere. They
keep track of the amounts of fossil fuels burned for different uses, such as
transportation and generating electricity. They can use these data to find out how
much CO2 is released by burning each type of fuel. Analyzing the data can help
them evaluate how replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources will affect
the amount of CO2 released.

The main sources of renewable energy are changing, and so is their popularity.
Many factors affect their use, including cost and reliability. Over time, the costs of
wind power and solar power have decreased. That's because engineers have
improved these technologies.

In addition, many renewable energy resources depend on location. Some places are
sunny most of the year. Those conditions are ideal for producing solar power. Other
places have consistent winds. These areas are good candidates for wind power.
Developing wave and tidal power may provide more renewable options for people in
regions that are less suited to using sunlight or winds.

Part I: Research the Problem (20 points) Research how the amount of carbon
dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has been changing in recent decades. Use reliable
websites, such as NASA's website on global climate change, to gather the following
data. (5 points)

1. What is the latest measurement of the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere in parts
per million (ppm)?

• How has the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere changed since 2005?

Average annual atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) reached a record high
of 418.56 parts per million (ppm) in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 0.5 percent.

• What was the highest CO2 level in the atmosphere during the 800,000 years
before 1950, and when did it occur?

 The atmospheric CO2 concentration stayed within the range 170 to 300 parts per
million (ppm), making the recent rapid rise to more than 400 ppm over 200 years.
 • How does the current level of CO2 in the atmosphere compare with historical
levels?

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is now 50 percent higher than it was before the

Industrial Revolution.

• What website(s) did you use to answer these questions?

climate.gov & statista.com

2. Research how the changes in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) are affecting
other parts of the Earth system. Use reliable websites, such as NASA's website on
global climate change, to answer the following questions. (6 points)

• How does the current global surface temperature compare with the historical
average?

Earth's temperature has risen by an average of 0.14° Fahrenheit (0.08°

Celsius) per decade since 1880, or about 2° F in total.

• How has the mass of the ice sheets that cover Antarctica and Greenland
changed since 2002?

"Data from NASA's GRACE satellites, which measured Earth's gravity field,
show that the land ice sheets in both Antarctica (first chart here) and
Greenland (second chart here) have been losing mass (ice) since 2002."
 • How much has the sea level changed since it was first measured by satellites?

The average global sea level has increased by 3.6 inches (9.1

centimeters), according to NASA's Sea Level Change science team.

• How are changes in climate affecting the biosphere?

It might make the food animals eat more scarce, cause natural events
like migrations to happen at the wrong times, or make the climate too
hot or too dry for young animals to survive.

• Besides temperature, what other aspects of Earth's climate are changing?

Geological records show that there have been a number of large variations
in the Earth's climate. These have been caused by many natural factors,
including changes in the sun, emissions from volcanoes, variations in
Earth's orbit and levels of carbon dioxide (CO2).
• What website(s) did you use to answer these questions?

nasa.gov & bgs.sc.uk

3. Research how people's energy use contributes to changes in atmospheric carbon

dioxide (CO2) levels. Use a reliable source, such as the U.S. Energy Information
Administration, to answer these questions about U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions
in 2018. (9 points)

• What were most energy-related CO2 emissions the result of?

Consumption of fossil fuels accounts for most of the CO2 emissions of

the major energy consuming sectors: commercial, industrial,
residential, transportation, and electric power.
• How many million metric tons (MMT) of energy-related CO2 were released in
2018? How does this compare with 2008?

Rose to 5.27 billion metric tons

• What are some reasons that energy-related emissions of CO2 change from year
to year? Give at least two reasons.
Since the Industrial Revolution, human sources of carbon dioxide emissions
have been growing. Human activities such as the burning of oil, coal and gas,
as well as deforestation are the primary cause of the increased carbon
dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere.
• What percentage of total U.S. electricity generation in 2018 came from coal-fired
power plants? From natural-gas-fired power plants? From petroleum-fired power
plants? What percentage was generated using non-carbon sources?

About 60% of this electricity generation was from fossil fuels—coal, natural
gas, petroleum, and other gases.

• How have these percentages changed since 2015?

Greenhouse gas concentrations shows that 2015-2019 has seen a continued
increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and other key greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere to new records, with CO2 growth rates nearly 20% higher than the
previous five years. 
• How have changes in the way electricity is produced resulted in reductions in the
CO2 released by electricity generation?

Declining amounts of fossil fuels used to produce electricity and a change in

the mix of those fossil fuels used have reduced emissions of CO2 in the
electric power sector by about 35 percent since 2005.
 • How have the types of non-carbon-based energy used in the United States
changed since 2006? How has the increase in the use of renewable energy
sources affected CO2 emissions?
While carbon dioxide emissions are up globally, they are down in the United States.
Since 2006, carbon dioxide emissions in the United States have fallen by 480
million metric tons -- more than any other country.

• What conditions are likely to affect future trends in the amount of CO 2 released
by electricity generation?

Economic expansion, industrialization, urbanization, technological

progress, foreign direct investment, and energy consumption are among
the most essential elements.

• What website(s) did you use to answer these questions?

cbo.gov & cenus.gov

Part II: Propose a Solution (10 points) Imagine you are an engineer who wants to
design a new device to generate electricity using wave and tidal power. Write a
paragraph that explains why your research should be funded. You should describe
the problem that you are trying to help solve by developing this new way to generate
electricity. Use what you know about the greenhouse effect and data you gathered in
your research in Part I to quantify the impacts of electricity generation. Write a
funding proposal to your teacher that includes the following parts: (10 points)

• A statement about the impact of electricity generation on Earth's systems

• A brief description of wave and tidal power

• An explanation of how using wave and tidal power can help reduce the impacts
of electricity generation

• Scientific reasoning to explain the environmental impacts and how your solution
can help
 • Evidence to support your claims

Submit your proposal on or before the due date assigned by your teacher.
The wave and tidal power is the renewable source of production of electricity. This method reduce
the impacts of electricity generation on Earth's systems. In the ocean, tidal are generated by pull of
gravity from the moon. This is because of the spinning of earth. From the generation of wave and
tidal power, the electricity can be produced.

In the production of electricity, there is some waste generated such as green house gases when
burning coal. These gases effect the Earth's system by polluting the environment, which cause acid
rain, diminishes of ozone layer etc. Wave and tidal power are considered as renewable source of
electricity generation. This way do not produce any waste and pollutant, thus help in reduction of
impacts of electricity generation. Wave and tidal power is 100% renewable, reliable
and predictable energy source. It is estimated that, the production of almost, 1000g of CO2 can be
reduced by producing 1 kWh electricity with tidal power in place of diesel generator.According to
the Marine energy source, the carbon food print of tidal energy and wave is much less than coal
power plants and diesel generators. Hence, the wave and tidal power is the renewable source
of production of electricity. This method reduce the impacts of
electricity generation on Earth's systems.
Part III: Evaluate and Refine a Solution (20 points) Research the designs for
wave and tidal power that engineers are currently working on. Find out how different
types of devices use waves and tides to generate electricity. Pick one design.
Explain how engineers are testing and improving your chosen design. Be sure to
include the criteria and constraints they are using to evaluate the design, which may
include the amount of electricity generated, cost, reliability, potential risks to people
and the environment, and potential impacts on local society. Create a presentation
that includes the following parts:

• A descriptive title (1 point)

• An explanation of how oscillating water columns, attenuators, and point

absorbers work to capture wave energy (3 points)

• An explanation of how tidal barrages and tidal turbines work (2 points)

• Where wave and tidal power can be used to generate electricity and why they
are limited to these locations (3 points)
 • The design you chose to evaluate and your reason(s) for selecting it (1 point)

• Potential environmental impacts, such as how local marine ecosystems could be

affected (1 point)

• Potential cultural impacts, such as how local industries and recreation could be
affected (1 point)

• Ways the design might be refined to reduce these impacts (2 points)

• Criteria and constraints engineers are using to evaluate the device (2 points)

• Where and how the device can be or is currently being tested by engineers (1
point)

• Ways the device might be refined based on how well it meets the criteria and
constraints (2 points)

• A list of the references you used (1 point)

Submit this completed worksheet and your presentation to your teacher on or before
the due date assigned.

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5.1.4 Project: Evaluate Wave and Tidal Power Technology