Worldwide Tidal Current Energy Developments and Opportunities for Canada's Pacific Coast

Recent rapid advances of tidal current energy extraction (TCEE) technologies and resource analyses suggest in excess of 20,000 GWh/annum of electricity may be realistically exploitable in the near term off Canada's West Coast. Moreover, because tidal currents have a semi-diurnal (or, in some locations, diurnal) periodicity, and can be predicted and quantified on a spatial and temporal basis, this resource confers a distinct advantage over most other renewables, and, therefore, may achieve supply security. In this study, TCEE technologies are assessed on the basis of energy delivered, environmental intrusion and economic viability. As such, relevant issues including resource characteristics, site selection, conversion efficiencies, capacity factors, power densities, hydrodynamic feedbacks, and grid integration are addressed.