Tidal power

Part of a series on
Renewable energy
Biofuel Biogas Biomass Carbon-neutral fuel Crosswind kite power Geothermal energy Geothermal heating Geothermal power Hydroelectricity Run-of-the-river Hydropower Micro hydro Pico hydro Small hydro Marine current power Marine energy Ocean thermal Osmotic power Solar energy Solar power Sustainable biofuel Tidal power Tidal stream generator Wave power Wind power
Nuclear power proposed as renewable energy
Topics by country and territory Marketing and policy trends
v t e

Part of a series on
Sustainable energy
Energy conservation Arcology Building insulation Cogeneration Compact fluorescent lamp Eco hotel Eco-cities Ecohouse Ecolabel Efficient energy use Energy audit Energy efficiency implementation Energy recovery Energy recycling Energy saving lamp Energy Star Energy storage Environmental planning Environmental technology Fossil fuel phase-out Glass in green buildings Green building and wood Green building Heat pump List of low-energy building techniques Low-energy house Microgeneration Passive house Passive solar building design Sustainable architecture Sustainable city Sustainable habitat Sustainable refurbishment Thermal energy storage Tropical green building Waste-to-energy Zero heating building Zero-energy building
Renewable energy Biofuel Sustainable Biogas Biomass Carbon-neutral fuel Geothermal energy Geothermal power Geothermal heating Hydropower Hydroelectricity Micro hydro Pico hydro Run-of-the-river Small hydro Marine current power Marine energy Tidal power Tidal barrage Tidal farm Tidal stream generator Ocean thermal energy conversion Renewable energy transition Renewable heat Solar Wave Wind Community Farm Floating wind turbine Forecasting Industry Lens Outline Rights Turbine Windbelt Windpump
Sustainable transport Green vehicle Electric vehicle Bicycle Solar vehicle Wind-powered vehicle Hybrid vehicle Human-electric Twike Plug-in Human-powered transport Helicopter Hydrofoil Land vehicle Bicycle Cycle rickshaw Kick scooter Quadracycle Tricycle Velomobile Roller skating Skateboarding Walking Watercraft Personal transporter Rail transport Tram Rapid transit Personal rapid transit
Category Renewable energy portal
v t e

Tidal power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various methods.

Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has the potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than the wind and the sun. Among sources of renewable energy, tidal energy has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability. However many recent technological developments and improvements, both in design (e.g. dynamic tidal power, tidal lagoons) and turbine technology (e.g. new axial turbines, cross flow turbines), indicate that the total availability of tidal power may be much higher than previously assumed and that economic and environmental costs may be brought down to competitive levels.

Historically, tide mills have been used both in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North America. Incoming water was contained in large storage ponds, and as the tide goes out, it turns waterwheels that use the mechanical power to mill grain.^[1] The earliest occurrences date from the Middle Ages, or even from Roman times.^[2][3] The process of using falling water and spinning turbines to create electricity was introduced in the U.S. and Europe in the 19th century.^[4]

Electricity generation from marine technologies increased an estimated 16% in 2018, and an estimated 13% in 2019.^[5] Policies promoting R&D are needed to achieve further cost reductions and large-scale development. The world's first large-scale tidal power plant was France's Rance Tidal Power Station, which became operational in 1966. It was the largest tidal power station in terms of output until Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station opened in South Korea in August 2011. The Sihwa station uses sea wall defense barriers complete with 10 turbines generating 254 MW.^[6]