Despite the many setbacks suffered by wave power technology, according to a report by Jan Oliver Löfken on golem.de, it is expected to account for a significant proportion of our electricity requirements in the future.

The technology utilises the potential of tide flows, currents and waves in decentralised projects, right through to multi-MW systems. Every second 5 million litres of water pass through the 24 turbines, each of which is capable of producing 10 MW of power. The Usine marémotrice de la Rance tidal power station in northern Brittany has been harnessing the power of water for over 50 years. The tidal rise of ­ 8 m where the Rance estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean is particularly extreme. These are ideal conditions in which to produce around 500 GWh of electricity every year. Additionally, the regularity of tidal movements guarantees reliable planning at the minimal expense of just 4 cents per kWh. This type of tidal power station requires a dam wall, making it suitable for service as a pump storage plant for the delivery of power reserves to the grid.