Operating on the same principle as the wind turbine, the undersea turbine consists of a tall tower with rotating blades designed to extract energy from ocean currents. Unlike wind turbines, tidal generators operate underwater where water density is roughly 800 times greater than air, allowing much smaller blades to generate significant electrical power.

Maintenance of these submerged installations has historically proven challenging. To solve this, engineers developed an innovative system where the whole tower can be raised above the water surface for transport and to facilitate the extraction of seaweed that wraps around the blades during operation.

Environmentalists initially voiced deep concern regarding danger to local wildlife. However, underwater cameras and ecological monitoring confirmed that marine organisms and fish are not in danger due to the fact that the blades rotate comparatively slow, making collision virtually impossible.

Another technical hurdle involved fluid dynamics. At high operating velocities, minute air bubbles result from the low pressure created directly behind the moving blades. This phenomenon, known in fluid physics as cavitation, can severely erode mechanical surfaces if left unchecked.