Tidal power may soon join solar, wind and hydroelectric power as a source of clean, renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest. Western Washington county utilities officials are currently investigating the possibility of installing 1,600 turbines on the ocean floor in strategic tidal regions of Puget Sound like Deception Pass and Admiralty Inlet, according to the Associated Press.

The active search for a new long-term energy solution or solutions has stemmed from the region’s growing population and increasing need for power. The new turbines could reportedly generate as many as 100 megawatts of electricity to power up to 60,000 homes.

While the proposal is certainly intriguing, we must express some skepticism about the long-term feasibility and environmental soundness of tidal energy. Area environmental groups have already protested the plan, citing its potential impact on whales, migrating salmon and other marine species.

These are protests indeed worthy of consideration, but there are also logistical matters to consider. Sixty thousand homes is significant, but what about the next 60,000? At 100 feet tall and 66 feet wide, turbines take up substantial space and make substantial noise. How many turbines can reasonably be placed in the Sound?

No plans have been finalized yet, and it’s encouraging that utilities officials are still expressing an openness to input from the scientific community. We only hope that this openness will become a willingness to reconsider the idea if it turns out to cause more damage to the environment than it’s worth.

The adverse environmental and in some cases economic impact of hydroelectric power and dams was not well anticipated. It is our obligation to ensure that future generations do not become dependent on yet another destructive means of energy production.