FROM THE EDITOR

Leading economists including Nobel Laureates lavished praise on the 42-year old French man Thomas
Piketty for his magnum opus Capital in the 21
st
Century, published in March2014. A few scholars have
questioned the data and assumptions. That he is a leading expert on income inequality will be conceded
and the impact of his book will be deep and long lasting, according to the veterans. Lineage has just
tried to attract the reader to this topic. Suhair has contributed an excellent analysis on Edison and his
study of three tech-savvy politicians Abdulla, Panda and Tharoor is hilarious. Automation and
robotics in farming cannot be dismissed as just pipe dream; the extra mouths crying to be fed in 2050
will be a nightmare. The two 2014 AGMs provided an atmosphere of camaraderie and jubilation at the
two northern district headquarters. We always supported RE and the National Geographic article looks
like a basic reader on Tidal energy. Sasidharan is an adorable part of Lineage. The Winton story is
incredible. LINEAGE salutes all contributors and readers.
K.E.Damodaran Nayanar

OBITUARY
Dear Engineers,
With heartfelt sorrow, I may inform you that Er C.P. Assainar Deputy Chief Engineer (Retired),
Balussery, passed away on 23.6.14. He was admitted in hospital Calicut on the previous day, following
chest pain, but could not survive.
He was an active and sincere member of the Engineers Association during his official days. A soft
spoken gentleman, Assainar, had attended the last Association AGM at Calicut on 01.06.2014
May his soul rest in peace
Ramachandran, Kozhikode

TOP
Innovate Systematically-Lessons from Thomas Edison
Successful managers do not merely sit around waiting for brilliant ideas to occur to them; they
work methodically. Thomas Alva Edison (18471931) showed us how to innovate systematically.
When one of Edisons assistants went to see him feeling somewhat dejected after numerous
experiments had not produced the desired result, the tireless inventor retorted: Listen, I
conducted 50,000 experiments to invent a new battery. The fact that those 50,000 possibilities do
not work is a great result! Not without reason is Edison attributed with the insight that: Genius
is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.
Edison was the archetypal inventor. In his lifetime he registered over 1,200 patents, the first
when just 21 years old and the last at the ripe old age of 81. Edison was self-taught, attended
school for only three months, and started working when he was 12. During his lifetime he
developed more than 2,000 appliances and processes. Most people think of Edison as the man who
invented the light bulb, but that is not actually the case. The light bulb was invented roughly 25
years before Edison popularized it by the precision engineer Heinrich Goebel, who had used one
to illuminate his New York workshop since 1854. What Edison invented was city illumination,
which is something quite different, but definitely more significant, bearing in mind the benefits to
its users. Edison succeeded in making the breakthrough to mass production. That was his
achievement. And his systematic approach to innovation was legendary.
What can Edison teach us? Well, innovative managers know that innovation is sparked by an idea.
But instead of suppressing crazy ideas, effective managers ask themselves: What would it take
to turn this crazy idea into something sensible, something that constitutes an opportunity for us?
So while there is no shortage of ideas, the true challenge lies in applying them. Most ideas will
turn out not to be worth following up. For this reason, you and your colleagues and employees
should seriously ask yourselves this question: What do we need to find out, learn, and do before
committing ourselves to putting this idea into practice? In so doing, focus your attention on
really essential innovations, rather than striving for small changes and minor improvements.
Edison carried out 6,000 experiments before finding the right filament for his light bulb. All the
time, what kept him going was a single big idea. Remember, too, that big and small aspects are
not at all mutually exclusive. No doubt it was recognition of this fact that prompted Edison to ask
his engineers and scientists to invent something small every 10 days and something big every 6
months.
Even if you reliably spot opportunities for innovation and take excellent steps to make practical
use of them, errors of judgment are bound to occur. So bear in mind what Edison said in 1926,
shortly before one innovation achieved its worldwide breakthrough: I have determined that there
is no market for talking pictures.
(Contributed by A Suhair)
FEEDBACK
Surprised to receive Lineage well in advance this month. Cover is graceful and there are a lot of
things to read. Thanks for the great efforts of the team
Best, Suhair


TOP 2
Twitter's hilarious trio
A.Suhair
The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, A Member of Parliament, A former Union Minister -
the combined humor of Omar Abdullah, Baijayant Jay Panda and Shashi Tharoor on Twitter
has countered the dullness that normally besets India's veteran politicians after years in
office.
Abdullah, 44, is the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and was one of India's youngest
Chief Ministers when he was sworn in. He has an illustrious background with generations of
wizened politicians in his family, yet the occasionally acerbic and always straight-shooting
Abdullah is often hilarious on Twitter where he has over 500,000 followers.
On a day his flight was delayed he tweeted "I've stuck my head out of the window and
imitated a siren but none of the planes ahead of me seem to get the message." I could
actually imagine him doing that. In a country where politics is defined by seniority, politicians
who can dare to be seen as goofy to a young, upwardly mobile, middle class audience online
are a rare breed.
Abdullah, with Tharoor and Panda, form a deadly Twitter trio that alternately charms and
annoys their followers with one liners, insights, quips and straight-faced sarcasm, often
leaving their staid senior colleagues bewildered.
On the day Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in and his Cabinet decided,
Tharoor, who is himself a former Minister of State, advised the would be MoS: "Being MoS is
like standing in a cemetery -- there's a lot of people under you but no one is listening!" I
believe not many were amused. But the articulate Tharoor, 58, who was a former Under
Secretary General at the United Nations has often rued that his humor falls flat in a space
dominated by cronies and paid hate groups. He tweeted to a television journalist: "Most
reactions to my attempts at Twitter wit only convince me that most Indians neither have nor
appreciate a sense of humor."
Abdullah and Panda seem to have no such reservations. They bluntly say what's on their minds
and express strong opinions on a wide variety of subjects ranging from football to cinema.
Abdullah's tweets often mock India's culture of elitism.
"I even called Air Traffic Control and said "tum ko nahin maloom main kaun hoon aur kisko
janta hoon" even that didn't work :-(( #fog", he tweeted poking fun at Delhi's infamous politics
of clout.
Panda, 50, who is a pilot and is fond of adventure sports in addition to being a Member of
Parliament from the Biju Janata Dal party from Kendrapara in Odisha, boldly goes where most
of his colleagues won't - mocking one of his own. On the day of swearing in, Panda tweeted
"some at the swearing in had facial expressions like hostages".
Abdullah on the other hand is raising important, Constitutional, policy issues that have the
potential to affect the lives of hundreds of lawmakers. "Why is it the order of things to sit on a
chair draped with a towel in Government offices? Are the chairs not clean? Do the towels hide
stains?" he is asking. The tweet came after his brutally honest confession: He loves Master
Chef Australia.
Abdullah, Tharoor and Panda, who use social media extensively to directly reach a young
electorate, know its limitations. Sometimes their tweets backfire. Often they are attacked by
users who feel offended by the opinions they express. Sometimes they go overboard. But they
have to be credited with constantly pushing the boundaries of a politician stereotype and
countering vitriol with humor.
------
TOP 3

LAUGH
GENDER RIVALRY?
One day Adam is talking to God, and he asks, "God, I've been wondering. Why did you make
Eve so pretty?"
God replies, "Because I wanted you to like her."
Then Adam asks, "But why did you make her so stupid?"
God answers, "Because I wanted her to like you."
WHO IS DUMB?
A week after I married a young couple at the church, the priest received the following thank
you note from the bridegroom: "Dear Reverend, I want to thank you for the beautiful way you
brought my happiness to a conclusion."
(Contributed by A.Suhair)
More LAUGH - Readers Digest
Springtime smell

I had spent the late winter months waiting impatiently for signs of spring. When the first warm
sunny day arrived, I eagerly unlocked the storm door and stepped on to our patio deck. I was
pleased by the sight of green sprouts and the sound of singing birds. More than anything else, I
delighted in the sweet aroma of the spring air. Knocking on the kitchen window, I beckoned to
my wife to join me in enjoying the pleasures of the season. She quickly brought me back to earth
when she reminded me that I was standing over the drying vent, inhaling the scent of fabric
softener.

Paternal payback
On the day I received the Learners licence, my father agreed to take me on a driving lesson.
With a big grin he hopped behind the drivers seat. Why arent you sitting upfront on the
passengers side? I asked. My dear, I have been waiting for this ever since you were a little
girl, Dad replied, Now it is my turn to sit here and kick the seat.

Going by the numbers
My father was completely lost in the kitchen and never ate unless someone prepared a meal for
him. When mother was ill, however, he volunteered to go to the super market for her. She sent
him off with a carefully numbered list of seven items. Dad returned shortly and proceeded to
unpack the grocery bags. He had one bag of sugar, two dozen eggs, three hams, four boxes of
detergent, five boxes of crackers, six egg plants and seven green peppers.

Spring fever
One spring day I was taking the roll at the college. Cindy wont be here in the afternoon? I
asked. She went home to lay in the sun, a young girl in the front row answered. Trying to
correct her grammar without embarrassing her before the class, I whispered, Lie. Okay, she
replied in astonishment, Cindy got sick and went home.

TOP 4
INCOME AND WEALTH INEQUALITY
Capital in the 21
st
Century, - a book published by Thomas Piketty, created waves among academia,
media and social activists. Economists all over the world were affected by what is described as
Pikettymania. Piketty is acclaimed as the worlds leading expert on income and wealth inequality. He has
tried to prove that there is a growing concentration of income in the hands of a small economic elite. He
argues that we are on the way back to patrimonial capitalism in which the commanding heights of
economy are dominated not just by wealth but also by inherited wealth in which birth matters more than
effort and talent. Only children of richer parents could afford the cost of education in elite Universities.
Likewise, there is also social filtering in the job market.

60% of the wealthiest are already heirs - not self-
made entrepreneurs. Piketty foresees the risk of a
drift towards oligarchy.
The history of inequality is shaped by the way
economic, social and political actors viewed what is
just and what is not, as well as the relative power of
those actions and the collective choices that result.
Earlier the economists argued that there are many
automatic stabilizers to correct the growing
destabilizing and egalitarian forces. Income
differences, if at all, could arise only due to ethnic,
cultural or skill endowments. This faith served as
an anodyne to salvage the conscience of economists and policy makers including those in IMF/ World
Bank. It served to ward off criticism against capitalism.
Piketty proved that the rate of return of capital has been between 4 and 5%, while the growth was lower
between 1 and 2%.
Income inequality gets aggravated by the saving and investment habits of the rich. They save more, they
earn more through their capacity to invest, by dodging taxes etc. Capital reproduces itself faster than
the output increases. The past devours the future. Piketty is highly critical of executive compensation
which led to extreme inequality in the recent years, especially since 2008. He ridicules the illusion of
marginal productivity, on which huge payments are determined. In large corporations it is impossible to
assess the contribution of individual executives. The managements follow the herd, or the ongoing social
norms followed in sister (rival?) corporations and approve large packets. The demand for higher
compensation grew louder after tax rates were lowered. This is double jeopardy for income distribution!
The Government favors the interests of rich over those of ordinary families. Tax relief went not to high
salary earners; they were given to large estates. A person living solely off inherited wealth would owe no
tax at all!
Wealth has the upper hand over wages and salaries. The dominance of income from capital, more often
inherited, over salary- of wealth over work-, Piketty calls Patrimonial capitalism. The horror that haunts
him is that if these trends continue, there is a looming prospect of the emergence of Patrimonial
Capitalism.
Where much modern writing about economics is cloaked in impenetrable jargon, Piketty is not afraid to
draw on literature and popular culture to make his points. Quentin Tarantino gets a mention, as does the
film Titanic. He likes Balzac and Jane Austen, he knows his Elizabeth Bennet from his Lady Mary.
That said, it is still a book about economics, and many readers will find it hard going when they get to the
sections on the Cobb-Douglas production function and the marginal productivity of capital. Like Adam
Smith's The Wealth of Nations and Maynard Keynes's General Theory it is a tome that will be more
quoted from than read right through.
The gist of Piketty's book is simple. Returns to capital are rising faster than economies are growing. The wealthy
are getting wealthier while everybody else is struggling. Inequality will widen to the point where it becomes
unsustainable both politically and economically unless action is taken to redistribute income and wealth.
Piketty favours a graduated wealth tax and 80% income tax for those on the highest salaries.
(Source: Krugman, New York Times; Guardian; Subrahmanian, Hindu)


TOP 5
Happenings
Senior Engineers Kozhikode.
The monthly meeting of Senior Engineers Kozhikode was held on 14.06.14 , 1030 am at the Calicut
Towers. Er A.Chandran presided over. In his presidential remarks he explained the developments in
the last month affecting retired Engineers.
The meeting observed one minute silence in memory of Ers Madhusoodanan Nair
(Thiruvananthapuram) and E.P. Padmanabhan, (Kannur), who passed away last week
The Annual General Body of the Engineers Association was held at Kozhikode on June 1
st
. The
arrangements were extremely good and the meeting congratulated the Calicut unit for the
successfully organizing the meet. The Chairman entrusted Er M.K. Sudhakaran to convey the
pleasure of Senior Engineers to the concerned.
Er Krishnanunni explained the news from pensioners meet held at Kannur last month. Er
Radhakrishnan then commented on the pathetic condition of Mavoor Road consequent to the laying
of sewage pipe. Er A.V.Krishnanunni read out the Lineage, June. The meeting ended at 3 pm after
lunch.
-Ramachandran
Senior Engineers Kannur.

The Kannur Unit held their meeting on 10
th
June. Er C.Balakrishnan presided. The president paid
homage to late Er EP Padmanabhan. The assembly observed one-minute silence in honor of the
departed colleague. Rich tributes were paid by members who reminisced about their three
decade-long association with a loving friend who cheered everyone with out-spoken comments,
intelligent suggestions and voluntary help whenever occasion demanded. A condolence
resolution was moved and passed. The meeting was dispersed without transacting any other
business.
Nayanar
Pensioners Association

The Annual General body Meeting of KSEB Pensioners Association was conducted at Kannur
on May, 30-31. The organizers had made
elaborate arrangements for a spectacular
show of unity and strength. The guests
were literally pampered with all the
comforts possible under the
circumstances. The presence or otherwise
of VIPs went unnoticed while the old folks
were busy renewing bonds of relationship
with former service colleagues.
The seminar session was remarkable with
eloquence by reputed speakers and
leaders. The innocent remark - our
apprehension remains, by MKP after the
theme paper was presented, sparked off
an excellent 40-minute absorbing and
often funny exposition by Sri
Raghunathan Nair, which resonated in the hall and hit listeners with considerable impact.
Nayanar

TOP 6
K.S.E.B. Engineers Association

It was the turn of Kozhikode to host the Annual General body Meeting on June 01.The events were
organized with great care and thought.
The presence of the Hon. Minister was
reassuring and his words were received
with a measure of cheer.
The seminar was noted for a couple of
excellent presentations. The Chairman
who delivered the key-note address
chose to highlight the sustainability part
of the theme title and wondered what
the Engineering fraternity could
contribute towards influencing the
Public opinion and making the people
shed the anti-KSEB posture and
assume a pro-KSEB attitude. The best
and perhaps the only attempt to explain the limited options and possible road map for sustainability
came from Professor Saji Gopinath. It was unfortunate that he had to rush through his erudite paper
due to time constraints, as rightly pointed out by the moderator, Professor Mohandas.
The arrangements at the venue were praiseworthy. The part played by the senior Engineers from the
unit in the efforts to make the occasion a memorable one to the delegates was laudable
-Nayanar
Brazil 2014 World Cup







Over the years, the Brazilians have given us players that are routinely rated as the best in the
world and of course given the game arguably the greatest player ever to have lived, Edson Arantes du
Nascimento or Pele as we know him best. If you look through the annals of Brazilian Internationals it
reads like a whos who of footballing greats. From Gerson, Garrincha, Rivelino and Jarzinho in the
50s, 60s and 70s, to Socrates and Zico in the 80s. In more recent times we have enjoyed the skill of
Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and of late Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano. All of these players at their
peaks would waltz into a world XI. It's not as though theyve had a few stars in the sides over the years
but full squads of players that other international coaches would dream of having in their starting
elevens.
Having great individuals does not always make a great side but the Brazilians have won more World
Cups than any other nation. They stand at 5 wins, with Italy in 2nd place with four. But theyve also
played in a number of finals where theyve been beaten, most recently in 1998 against the host nation
France. Winning, however, isnt the only thing, its winning with style that matters to Brazilians. The
World Cup win in 1994 was a triumph but was not won in Brazilian attacking flair and flamboyance.
TOP 7
The 1982 side of Zico and Socrates, that were foiled by Italy probably bring more of a misty eyed
response than the side that were victorious in the USA.
The 2014 finals will be a celebration of football. The fans will embrace it and produce a carnival of
colour, noise and passion that the local people are already world famous for. It will be a fantastic world
cup to travel to and see how the Brazilians party. It will have been 64 years since the last world cup
was held in Brazil and those who were alive to see it will hope that it doesnt end the same way. The
hosts were beaten in the final by South American rivals Uruguay. Anything less than a win will send
the country into mourning, but a victory will spark the biggest party Brazil has ever seen and that in
itself would be saying something

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TOP 8
SIR NICHOLAS WINTON
















This is the story of an incredible man and his amazing gift to mankind - the English
stockbroker, - Sir Nicholas Winton. On holiday in Prague, in 1938, he saw the influx of refugees
pouring in after the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia. He realized the declaration of war was just
a matter of time and decided to evacuate the children. Drawing up the papers, he succeeded in
organizing eight train loads of children. Then he
helped them find foster homes for those whom he
rescued. The relatives left behind ended up in
concentration camps and gas chambers.
The courageous rescue of 669 Czech children from
their doomed fate in the Nazi death camps by
Nicholas Winton went unrecognized for over half a
century. He kept it secret and never told anyone
about what he had achieved. For fifty years most of
the children did not know to whom they owed their
lives. Today there are over 5,000 descendants of the
Winton children around the world, including in the UK,
Canada, Czech Republic and the United States.
After the war, he got involved with the rehabilitation
of Europe's refugees and worked for international
organizations. He retired early and devoted himself to charitable works.

The story of Nicholas Winton only emerged when his wife Greta came across an old leather
briefcase in an attic and found a scrapbook detailing the evacuations with lists of the children
and letters from their parents. Nicholas Winton hadn't even told her of his role during the war,
but she persuaded him to have his actions officially documented. BBC invited the 90-year old to
the studios in 1988, without telling him that he will face an audience comprised of
his children. It was an emotional moment for Winton family and Nickys children.
Since then the story of Winton - today known as the Schindler of Britain - has gone round the
world. He has been given award after award and on March 11, 2003, he was knighted by Queen
Elizabeth II.
The descendants of the children he rescued, - calling themselves Nickys children celebrated
the 105
th
birthday of Sir Winton at the Check Embassy in London recently
(Hindu)

Jewish refugee children - members of the first
Kindertransport
TOP 9
AGROBOTS
At the beginning man used his hands and hand tools for farming. Animal-driven tools and
mechanized farming evolved as he progressed. Today, tractor-driven machinery is common
even in our country-side. But the scientists are not satisfied.
Global population which passed 7 billion in 2011, is poised to rise further to 11 billion by 2050. At
present 15% of the world population is going hungry every day. Arable land size is decreasing
due to diversion of farm land for non-farm purposes. Climatic changes and frequent draughts
take their toll. Improving agricultural productivity demands the first priority. Mechanized
agriculture has matured in developed countries; development and production of machines at
affordable cost is slow in countries like India.
Agricultural scientists want to introduce robotic agriculture to replace tractor-driven machinery.
The available machines in the market are used for land leveling, land preparation, seeding,
planting, weeding, plant protection and harvesting. They are general purpose machines and
there is always a mismatch between the tasks in hand and the machines limitation in
adaptability. Versatility, dexterity, precision and intelligence are desirable in order to achieve a
total robotic regime. Initially robots find application in labor intensive and repetitive tasks in well-
planned, large farms with scientifically designed layouts.
A robot is a reprogrammable multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts,
tools, or devices
through various
programed motions for
the performance of a
variety of tasks. Today
robots find applications
in automobile industry,
assembly, medical
laboratories, hospitals,
nuclear reactors, space
exploration, under-water
exploration, customer
service and
entertainment.
A robot has a mobile
physical structure, an
actuator system, a
sensor system, a power
supply and a computer brain.
Agrobots can be deployed for harvesting, planting, de-weeding and pest control. They will find
use in milking cows, shearing sheep, picking fruits, pulling out weeds, spraying chemicals and
doing any other tasks. They will make use of GPS and sensors for navigation.
The most remarkable use will be in labor-intensive jobs of plant protection and harvesting.
Greatest challenges will be unpredictable weather, difficult terrain, light and the variety of shape,
size and color.
Robots have many advantages; they are not heavy, use less power, help optimize fertilizer
consumption, help to avoid labor hassle and their costs. Precision farming will help achieve
economy by selective harvesting, robotic weeding, micro-spraying, etc.
By integrating these technologies, and networking agrobots more economy and benefits can be
achieved.
(Source: NETWORK INTELLIGENT UNMANNED SYSTEMS: Technorama - the IEI Magazine)


A robot being used in vineyards in Chalon-sur-Sane, France.
TOP 10
tidal energy
National Geographic

Tidal energy is produced by the surge of ocean waters during the rise and fall of tides.
Tidal energy is a renewable source of energy.
During the 20th century, engineers developed ways to use tidal movement to generate electricity in
areas where there is a significant tidal rangethe difference in area between high tide and low tide.
All methods use special generators to convert tidal energy into electricity.

Tidal energy production is still in its infancy. The amount of power produced so far has been small.
There are currently two commercial-sized tidal power plants operating in the world. One is located in
La Rance, France; the other is in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada. There is a third
experimental plant operating in Kislaya Guba, Russia. The United States has no tidal plants and
only a few sites where tidal energy could be produced at a reasonable price. France, England,
Canada, and Russia have much more potential to use this type of energy.

In the United States, there are legal concerns about underwater land ownership and environmental
impact. Investors are not enthusiastic about tidal energy because there is not a
strong guarantee that it will make money or benefit consumers. Engineers are working to improve
the technology of tidal energy generators to increase the amount of energy they produce,
to decrease their impact on the environment, and to find a way to earn a profit for energy
companies.

Tidal Energy Generators
There are currently three different ways to get tidal energy: tidal streams, barrages, and tidal
lagoons.

Tidal streams
For most tidal energy generators, turbines are placed in tidal streams. A tidal stream is a fast-
flowing body of water created by tides. A turbine is a machine that takes energy from a flow of fluid.
That fluid can be air (wind) or liquid (water). Because water is much more dense than air, tidal
energy is more powerful than wind energy. Unlike wind, tides are predictable and stable. Where tidal
generators are used, they produce a steady, reliable stream of electricity.
Placing turbines in tidal streams is complex, because the machines are large and disrupt the tide
Tide water swirl into the turbine
TOP 11
they are trying to harness. The environmental impact could be severe, depending on the size of the
turbine and the site of the tidal stream. Turbines are most effective in shallow water. This produces
more energy and allows ships to navigate around the turbines. A tidal generator's turbine blades
also turn slowly, which helps marine life avoid getting caught in the system.

The world's first tidal power station was constructed in 2007 at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.
The turbines are placed in a narrow strait between the Strangford Lough inlet and the Irish Sea. The
tide can move at 4 meters (13 feet) per second across the strait.

Barrage
Another type of tidal energy generator uses a large dam called a barrage. With a barrage, water can
spill over the top or through turbines in the dam because the dam is low. Barrages can be
constructed across tidal rivers, bays, and estuaries.
Turbines inside the barrage harness the power of tides the same way a river dam harnesses the
power of a river. The barrage gates are open as the tide rises. At high tide, the barrage gates close,
creating a pool, or tidal lagoon. The water is then released through the barrage's turbines, creating
energy at a rate that can be controlled by engineers.
The environmental impact of a barrage system can be quite significant. The land in the tidal range is
completely disrupted. The change in water level in the tidal lagoon might harm plant and animal life.
The salinity inside the tidal lagoon lowers, which changes the organisms that are able to live there.
As with dams across rivers, fish are blocked into or out of the tidal lagoon. Turbines move quickly in
barrages, and marine animals can be caught in the blades. With their food source limited, birds
might find different places to migrate.

A barrage is a much more expensive tidal energy generator than a single turbine. Although there are
no fuel costs, barrages involve more construction and more machines. Unlike single turbines,
barrages also require constant supervision to adjust power output.

The tidal power plant at the Rance River estuary in Brittany, France, uses a barrage. It was built in
1966 and is still functioning. The plant uses two sources of energy: tidal energy from the English
Channel and river current energy from the Rance River. The barrage has led to an increased level
of silt in the habitat. Native aquatic plants suffocate in silt, and a flatfish called plaice is now extinct in
the area. Other organisms, such as cuttlefish, a relative of squids, now thrive in the Rance estuary.
Cuttlefish prefer cloudy, silty ecosystems.
Tidal Lagoon
The final type of tidal energy generator involves the construction of tidal lagoons. A tidal lagoon is a
body of ocean water that is partly enclosed by a natural or manmade barrier. Tidal lagoons might
also be estuaries and have freshwater emptying into them.

A tidal energy generator using tidal lagoons would function much like a barrage. Unlike barrages,
however, tidal lagoons can be constructed along the natural coastline. A tidal lagoon power plant
could also generate continuous power. The turbines work as the lagoon is filling and emptying.

The environmental impact of tidal lagoons is minimal. The lagoons can be constructed with natural
materials like rock. They would appear as a low breakwater (sea wall) at low tide, and
be submerged at high tide. Animals could swim around the structure, and smaller organisms could
swim inside it. Large predators like sharks would not be able to penetrate the lagoon, so smaller fish
would probably thrive. Birds would likely flock to the area.

But the energy output from generators using tidal lagoons is likely to be low. There are no
functioning examples yet. China is constructing a tidal lagoon power plant at the Yalu River, near
its border with North Korea. A private company is also planning a small tidal lagoon power plant in
Swansea Bay, Wales.

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