Tidal Stream Generator

A tidal stream generator, also called a tidal energy converter, is a machine that extracts energy directly from the kinetic motion of tidal currents, functioning much like an underwater wind turbine; because seawater is roughly 800 times denser than air, a tidal turbine can generate substantial power even at water speeds far lower than the wind speeds a comparable wind turbine would need. The concept was first explored during the 1970s oil crisis, and tidal stream generators are considered the cheapest and least ecologically damaging of the four main forms of tidal power generation. The SeaGen installation in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, was the first commercial-scale tidal stream device installed anywhere in the world and delivered more than a gigawatt-hour of electricity to consumers there. The MeyGen project in the Pentland Firth, Scotland, is the largest planned tidal stream farm in the world, with a planned capacity of up to 398 megawatts, and developers including Orbital Marine Power, Minesto and Nova Innovation have projects under development through the end of the decade.