Tidal Power can be harnessed two ways – one as through utilizing movement of waves through tidal stream turbine and another through tidal rise by storing water in tidal barrages in ocean which occur daily along the coast. Of this tidal barrage based power generation has been successful in the world. Apart from these two, there are other forms of ocean energy which includes utilizing ocean currents, absorbing subtle movement of waves by buoyant moored devices. Many other technologies are under experimentation across the globe with very few achieving commercial scale of power generation.
Across the globe, Shiwa Lake Tidal plant of South Korea and La Rance Tidal power plant of France are larger ones with generation capacity of 250 MW. Of this French tidal power plant is in operation for more than 5 decades from its commissioning in 1966.
In India, from the year 1982 several studies were undertaken to estimate the tidal energy potential of India. Various estimates have put the wave energy potential at 40000 MW at wave contours of 10-15kW. The highest potential sites are in Maharashtra, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kaviti in Andhra Pradesh. For Tidal Energy, the estimated potential is around 8200 MW. The Coast of Gujarat with around 7000 MW has highest potential followed by Maharashtra and some sites in Sunderbans of West Bengal.
List of All Companies Operating in Tidal Power Sector in India
National Institute Of Ocean Technology
