Patent ID: 8643206

Claim:
A tidal based renewable energy system which uses tidal flow and an associated water wheel assembly to provide pumping power between at least an upper level storage lake and a lower level storage lake, the system comprising: a water wheel located at a selected sea level ocean tidal location below both the upper level storage lake and the lower level storage lake, respectively, the water wheel having a series of blades which are acted upon by tidal flow to cause the water wheel to turn as a tide flows in and then out, the water wheel also having an output shaft; a fluid pump powered by the output shaft of the water wheel, the pump being in fluid communication with the upper level storage lake by a run of associated piping, the fluid pump also being in communication with the lower level storage lake by an associated run of piping, whereby the pump can be used to raise water from the lower level storage lake to the upper level storage lake; discharge piping connecting the upper level storage lake to an inlet of a turbine generator for powering the generator as water is discharged from the upper level storage lake, the turbine generator also having an outlet which communicates by suitable piping with the lower level storage lake for returning water to the lower level storage lake; wherein an energy generating cycle can be maintained continuously by again pumping water from the lower level storage lake to the upper level storage lake to provide pumped water storage, the pumped water storage providing flow and head to generate electric power through the turbine generator; and wherein suitable piping is also provided which communicates the lower level storage lake with the sea level location for returning water from the lower level storage lake to the sea level location.