Iceland is falling behind when it comes to the usage of tidal power. The small nation in the Northern Atlantic is surrounded by ocean, yet it has failed to use its forces for energy.

Research on tidal power has been miniature in Iceland. Geothermal energy has been the focal point.

A total of 21 members out of 63 in the Parliament in Iceland have put forward a suggestion of more research and more money, which looks likely to be put in the research.

A database of information will be set up in Iceland on the usage, which is long overdue. An expert thinks that this is one of the biggest unused energy resources in Iceland.

Icelandic company Valorka has been granted the IIA 2011 awards for its invention, the Valorka turbine.  IFIA (International Federation of Inventors) grants these awards, and the company has high hopes for the turbine.

Valdimar Össurason is the inventor and owner of Valorka. "The Irish have researched their potential energy efficiency from tidal power to around 240 TWh per year. If we localize that to Iceland, it would be 330tw hours per year. That is 20 times the energy usage in Iceland, per year,"  he said.

A prototype for testing underwater will be made if his research is successful.

Sources: Fréttablaðið