Free Republic

A tidal power project is delivering electricity to the U.S. power grid for the first time, energy officials said Thursday. Ocean Renewable Power Co.'s first underwater turbine, off eastern Maine, was delivering to the grid the first commercially produced tidal power on Thursday afternoon, said Bangor Hydro Electric Co., which operates the grid where the tidal power connects. "This historic moment elevates the U.S. to the world stage," said Chris Sauer, president and CEO of Portland-based Ocean Renewable Power, which has invested $15 million in the project. The amount of power is modest for now. The first underwater turbine generator...

The first commercial subsea power station to harness the tidal currents of the sea was hooked up to an electricity grid on Saturday. The rise and fall of the sea, caused by the moon's gravitational tug on the Earth, could be generating electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes within five years if the new Norwegian power station proves successful. The power station, which resembles an underwater windmill, began generating electricity for the town of Hammerfest. Although still largely a prototype, the generator is the first in the world to harness the power of the sea and be connected to...