Tidal stream and wave energy converters generate reliable baseload power from predictable ocean currents, a capability that surpasses #5 concentrated solar's dependency on daily sunlight variability. Scotland's MeyGen tidal array, operational since 2016, produces 220 GWh annually from 86 MW installed capacity, attaining a capacity factor of 42%—double the typical solar installation's 20% and 30% higher than the average offshore wind farm. Orbital Marine Power's floating turbine in Orkney feeds 2 MW into the grid, with a 15-year operational life expected at a levelized cost of $0.25 per kWh. Yet installation costs remain prohibitive at $5 million per MW, roughly 50% more expensive than next-generation geothermal. Despite this, Scotland has approved 300 MW of tidal projects, signaling growing commercial viability for a technology that can predict generation schedules up to 18 years in advance.
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