Energy generating system and a method for generating energy from a sea tide

An energy generating system for generating energy from a sea tide comprising:

• a dam configured to isolate a water containment area from a sea, the dam comprising:
• at least one variable height dam element, each dam element being configured to define a water race between the water containment area and the sea to allow water flow therethrough between the sea and the water containment area,
• a buoyancy means co-operable with each dam element and configured to control the height of the corresponding dam element in response to a level of water,
• a water wheel operably located in each water race configured to produce usable energy, and
• a sluice means for selectively permitting water to flow through the dam bypassing the one or more water races.

An energy generating system for generating energy from a sea tide comprising:

• a dam configured to isolate a water containment area from a sea, the dam comprising:
• at least one variable height dam element, each dam element being configured to define a water race between the water containment area and the sea to allow water flow therethrough between the sea and the water containment area,
• a buoyancy means co-operable with each dam element and configured to control the height of the corresponding dam element in response to a level of water, and
• a water wheel operably located in each water race configured to produce usable energy, each water wheel comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart water engaging elements defining respective hollow interior regions evacuated to a pressure below atmospheric pressure, the water engaging elements of each water wheel being located on the water wheel and being configured to extend into the corresponding water race.

A method for generating energy from a sea tide, the method comprising:

• providing a dam to form a water containment area separated from the sea by the dam,
• locating at least one variable height dam element in the dam, each dam element comprising the plurality of the hingeadly connected dam panels, the dam panels of each dam element being moveable in a concertina manner between a folded state with the dam panels lying side by side and parallel to each other and an operative state with the dam panels substantially aligned with each other to form the dam element,
• coupling the dam element to a buoyancy means for controlling the height of the dam element in response to a level of water,
• configuring the dam element to define a water race between the water containment area and the sea to allow water to flow therethrough between the sea and the water containment area, and
• locating a water wheel in the water race to rotate in response to water flowing through the water race to produce useable energy.