Technology Overview

Tidal power is a technology that generates electricity by harnessing energy from tidal movements, including the rise and fall of sea levels and tidal currents caused by the gravitational interaction between the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. This technology can be deployed in various forms, including tidal barrages, tidal stream turbines, and tidal lagoon systems. Among these, tidal stream turbines are increasingly gaining attention due to their lower environmental impact compared to large-scale barrage structures.

Technical Characteristics

The nominal capacity factor of tidal power is approximately 33–35%, reflecting greater stability compared to other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar due to the predictable nature of tidal cycles. However, electricity output still depends on site-specific geographical conditions and tidal range.

Tidal systems generally achieve relatively high energy conversion efficiency under optimal operating conditions, but the technology remains in the development stage and has not yet reached widespread commercialization.

Investment costs are approximately 6.8–7.1 million USD/MW, higher than many other renewable technologies due to technical complexity and challenging underwater construction conditions. Operation and maintenance costs are also high due to the corrosive and difficult-to-access marine environment. While tidal power has the potential to contribute to renewable energy diversification and provide predictable generation, its role in the short term remains limited due to high costs and site constraints.

Application in Vietnam

In Vietnam, tidal power has not yet been commercially deployed and remains at the stage of potential assessment and research.