# Tidal and ocean-current power: Overview

Harnessing the Moon's pull with dams and underwater rotors

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/overview/

Harnessing the Moon's pull with dams and underwater rotors What this tile covers Barrages, lagoons and underwater turbines driven by tides and steady ocean currents. Share of use <.01% share of world energy supply (2024)

Share of world total energy supply captured or extracted by each method, 2024 (latest year where noted). Denominator is the Energy Institute Statistical Review 2025 total of 592.2 EJ (physical energy content method); electricity from wind, solar, hydro and geothermal is counted at output, nuclear at reactor heat. Heat and biomass flows outside EI's total are set against the same 592.2 EJ. Tidal barrages about 1.1 TWh plus tidal stream about 0.01 TWh = 0.004 EJ of 592.2 EJ (calculated). Source: [Tidal Energy: Technology Brief](https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2014/Tidal_Energy_V4_WEB.pdf), IRENA.

#### Key facts

| **Output** | Electricity |
|---|---|
| **Chain** | Gravitational (Moon and Sun) → kinetic (tides) → mechanical → electrical |

#### Included from the reference tables

- Tidal barrages and lagoons
- Tidal stream turbines and tidal kites
- Ocean current turbines

#### Also in Water and ocean
[HyD Hydropower dams](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro_dams/)[HyR Run-of-river and small hydro](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_small_hydro/)[WEC Wave energy converters](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_wave_power/)[OTEC OTEC and salinity power](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_otec/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: efficiency, techniques, resources and labour, impact on the biosphere.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/correlation/index.md)
- [Efficiency](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/efficiency/index.md)
- [Techniques](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/techniques/index.md)
- [Resources and labour](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/resources/index.md)
- [Impact on the biosphere](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/biosphere/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_tidal_power/links/index.md)