Ocean Energy

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes various technologies for generating electricity from the ocean's tides, waves, currents, and heat, detailing their technical requirements, existing global projects, and associated benefits and challenges.

• Ocean energy can be harnessed through several distinct technologies: tidal dams (barrages), tidal fences (surface turnstiles), underwater tidal turbines, wave energy converters (such as floating buoys or platforms), and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), which uses temperature differences between surface and deep-sea water.
• Several large-scale tidal dam projects are operational or planned globally: France has operated a 240 MW dam since 1966, China has operated a 100 MW dam since 1987, and Canada has operated a 20 MW dam since 1984. Additionally, South Korea planned a 260 MW tidal dam for completion in 2009.
• The US Department of Energy suggests that ocean waves could theoretically produce over 2 million MW of electricity, with high potential located off the Northwest and Northeast coasts of the United States.
• Ocean energy offers benefits such as the prevention of greenhouse gas emissions, minimal land use, and increased domestic energy security for the US. However, it faces challenges including high initial capital costs, the need for new transmission infrastructure, and potential environmental impacts such as blocking sea life migration in the case of tidal dams and fences.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2006). Ocean Energy. https://www.eesi.org/files/ocean_energy_0506.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Ocean Energy. 2006. https://www.eesi.org/files/ocean_energy_0506.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Ocean Energy |date=May 2006 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/ocean_energy_0506.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2006ocean, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Ocean Energy}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2006}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/ocean_energy_0506.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }