Instead of losing all their energy over shallow seas near the coasts, as previously believed, about one third of tidal energy is actually lost to the deep ocean.
Although wind, especially off-shore wind, and tidal energy have great promise, energy from these sources will remain quite costly for the foreseeable future.
Construction is due to start in the summer of 2008 and the proposed tidal energy turbines, described as a wind farm under the sea, should be operational by 2010.