[card_zero]

Some numbers here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power#Principle (last paragraph). Tidal energy is wasted by natural coastlines all the time, being converted into heat and erosion. If this effect is constant, it looks like the day gets longer by 7 minutes 12 seconds every 36.5 million years. (I calculated that because it's a 1% reduction in rotational energy.) Human extraction of tidal energy is much smaller than the energy wasted by tides acting on all the world's coastlines, I assume. To some extent it takes energy away from coastal erosion, which also seems fairly benign.

[evv555]

>Tidal energy is wasted by natural coastlines all the time

Erosion is a major part of Earth's carbon cycle[1]. It's not a given that you can scale this technology without impact.

1. https://carbonclaire.com/the-carbon-cycle/#:~:text=The%20geo....

[ralfd]

Sanity check with quick googling:

> Geological evidence ... indicate that 620 million years ago the day was 21 hours, says Mardling.

[whatisyour]

Erosion is not always wastage.

[bbor]

For a detailed discussion of “what is the environment, and what does preserving it look like?”, see the Red Mars trilogy. Very interesting questions about nature as aesthetic vs nature-in-its-own-right

[mft_]

Could you expand? I'm interested in what you're getting at.

[wongarsu]

Erosion makes gravel and sand, which are quite useful. It also makes minerals and nutrients accessible to life.

But we spend a lot of time and money managing erosion, and at the same time (often accidentally) create lots of erosion in other places. I doubt extracting tidal energy will have effects on a global scale, though it might cause some local changes

[Eddy_Viscosity2]

I think he's referring to nature making less florida.

[actionfromafar]

OTOH there's a case to be made for keeping florida diluted.

[idontknowifican]

erosion actually creates nests for various sea birds