Marine renewable energy, ocean renewable energy, marine hydrokinetic energy (MHK)-whatever you call it, it is harnessing energy from ocean and river currents, tides, waves and thermal differences. Marine energy could be considered the sleeping giant in the renewable energy space. For example, conservative estimates of U.S. wave power potential is thought to be 2,100 terawatt-hours per year. Some experts have stated that if wave devices can be engineered to harness just 20 percent of that power at 50 percent efficiency, that would match the U.S. consumption of conventional hydropower in 2003.
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