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A tidal barrage is a way of "converting the energy of tides into electric power. A tidal barrage works in a similar way to that of a hydroelectric scheme, except that the dam is much bigger and spans a river estuary. When the tide goes in and out, the water flows through tunnels in the barrage. The ebb and flow of the tides can be used to turn a turbine, or it can be used to push air through a pipe, which then turns a turbine."
"Underwater (or tidal) turbines are a fairly straightforward concept, as far as cutting-edge energy technology goes," writes Josh Clark of HowStuffWorks. "They are essentially windmills installed onto an ocean floor or river bed. The underwater current produced by the tides spins blades arranged like an airplane propeller. These turbines are attached to a gear box, which is connected to an electrical generator. This produces the electricity that is carried by cable to shore. Once it's plugged into an electrical grid, the electricity can be distributed."
There are two ways to measure tidal power: Mean spring peak velocity (the highest) and mean neap peak cycle (the lowest) a tidal area experiences in a month.
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