Endless energy in our tides

I was walking along Formby Beach near Liverpool the other day and noticed the tide coming in and going out, as it has done for millions of years.

Since then, on the television, I have watched a debate about what we can do to provide green power for future generations, with nuclear, wind and solar power being mentioned as sustainable options. Am I alone in wondering why tidal power never seems to enter the equation? We have hundreds of miles of coastline and many river estuaries.

Our seas could generate power by having turbines strategically placed underwater. And as the tides ebb and flow, surely these turbines could provide endless power.

The Mersey Estuary, for example, would be perfect, because of its tidal flow, to provide all the energy needed for Liverpool and even further afield. So why are we apparently not looking to invest more in something that could do the job?

Wind and solar power can’t be guaranteed, but the tides that wash Britain’s coastline certainly can.

Philip Codd, Manchester