Wind turbines altered to function underwater have set industry records after generating non-stop power for over 6 years without maintenance.

Located in the Pentland Firth off the coast of Scotland, the MayGen marine energy project is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and its continued operation in a harsh environment is encouraging investors to bet on tidal energy.

Considered the largest untapped renewable energy market in the world, “marine energy,” that is, energy that harnesses the power of the tides, waves, or currents, has a key advantage over other renewable sources in that the resource being harvested is constant and guaranteed.

However, also like other renewable sources, it has disadvantages, and so far that has been a lack of investment over durability concerns. The sea is a harsh mistress, and her force is a harrowing thing to endure for man or machine.

That’s why the 6 megawatt-hour MayGen project, owned by BAE Renewables and built in concert with Swedish firm SKF, is winning plaudits. Their turbines have lasted a long time without ever having to be removed for repairs.

Rémi Gruet, CEO of a trade association Ocean Energy Europe called it a “very significant milestone” that bodes well for the future of tidal energy and the 7,000 homes which MayGen powers annually.

Many tidal energy projects that GNN has reported on have been quite small. These include generators deployed autonomously in the ocean like this very small seaweed-inspired device to the Minesto “Sea Dragons“—large, undersea, kite-shaped objects that could generate 1.2 megawatts from undersea currents.

Landbound stations seem more promising. In 2022, GNN reported that Turkey was to be the stage for Swedish firm Eco Wave Power’s prototype tidal power plant that uses the tides to power large, pier-mounted hydraulic pistons. A full-size operation would generate 77 megawatts—a mammoth amount of renewable energy for a single facility of any kind, anywhere.

Even this would pale in comparison to Mersey Tidal Power: a public-private partnership to build a tidal power station that harnesses the 30-foot-tall tide in the Bay of Liverpool to power practically the entire city.

GNN reported on the Mersey Tidal project in 2024, when precious little had been released about it.

A large dam would be a barrier between the Irish Sea and a tidal basin. Underneath the dam would be large turbines and sluice gates which would open as the tide comes in, pulling water onto the turbines to generate energy.

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The gates would close as the 10-meter-high tide finishes, and as the gravity of the moon begins to pull on the water four hours later, the gates would open, causing it to rush past the turbines a second time, generating more clean energy.

The city estimates this would be enough to power 1 million homes.

If one or more of these methods can match MayGen’s track record then these projects will suddenly seem far more attractive to an investor who is expecting to see functional ROIs for the next 30 years.

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Back in Scotland, Maygen plans to add another 20 submarine turbines by 2030. The Pentland Firth site could hold around 130 such turbines, which in addition could be larger and more powerful than the currently-utilized set.

The future of marine energy, it may finally be safe to say, is waxing.

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