Tidal power

Tidal power is renewable electricity generated by capturing the rise and fall or horizontal flow of ocean tides, using structures such as barrages, lagoons, and turbines.

Tidal range: The vertical difference between high and low water levels over a tidal cycle. Tidal-range systems exploit this height difference to drive turbines.
Rance Tidal Power Station: A tidal barrage power station on France’s Rance estuary, operating since 1966. It is an early, long-running example of large-scale barrage generation.
Wave power: Electricity generated by capturing energy from surface waves on oceans and seas. Waves are driven mainly by wind, unlike tides driven by gravitational interactions.
Environmental impact of tidal power: The effects of tidal-energy infrastructure and operation on ecosystems and coastal environments. Barrages, lagoons, and turbines create distinct ecological pressures that shape project design.
Tidal power economics: The costs, revenues, and financial risks associated with developing and operating tidal-energy projects. High construction costs and long project lifetimes remain central to investment decisions.
Tidal barrage: A dam across an estuary that generates electricity by controlling water flow through turbines. It converts tidal range into electricity by impounding water and releasing it through turbines.
Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station: A tidal barrage power station in South Korea that began commercial operation in 2011. It demonstrates the scale possible where an existing seawall can be adapted.
Offshore wind power: Electricity generated by wind turbines installed in marine waters. Offshore wind uses atmospheric motion and is less tied to tidal cycles.
Estuary: A coastal water body where freshwater from rivers mixes with seawater. Many tidal-range schemes are sited in estuaries, whose habitats and flows they alter.
Tidal power environmental monitoring: The measurement of ecological and physical effects around tidal-energy installations. Long-term monitoring helps distinguish project impacts from natural variation.

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