Development projects tidal power center first, located in La Rance, between St. Maro and Dinard, Brittany, France. Officially, the project was opened by French President General De Gaulle, in November 1956. Implementation of the lighthouse project aims to supply energy needs. Because during World War II, the French electricity consumption has doubled. Utilization of tidal energy power center that is realized in La Ranche France also followed by Russia at Murmansh, Lumboy, Tae Menzo Boy, and The Thite Sea. Not far from Indonesia, there are Australians who use it in Kimberly. Currently the potential of tidal energy across the ocean in the world recorded 3106 MW.Potential area for Indonesia is part of Sumatra Island, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, Papua, and the south coast of Java Island, because the ebb and flow can be more than five meters.
The mechanism of tidal energy power centers depending on several factors: wind direction, speed, duration of blowing, and the area affected. Therefore, in the study of meteorological factors on this energy / geophysics to be the key.On the utilization of this energy is needed area large enough to accommodate the sea water (reservoir area). However, the positive side is not cause of toxic pollutants to either water or air.
In addition to the sea and tidal heat, there are still other ocean energy is wave energy. Already a lot of thought to study the possibility of utilization of energy stored in ocean waves. One country that has a lot of researching this is England.
According to observations hulls, a row of waves (waves) that exist around the coast of New Zealand with an average height of 1 meter and a period of 9 seconds had a power of 4.3 kW/meter length of the waves. Meanwhile, a row of similar waves with a height of 2 meters and 3 meters power by 39 kW per meter length of the waves. For waves with a height of 100 meters and a period of 12 seconds to produce power 600 kW/meter.
Because some of the sea in Indonesia have waves with heights above 5 meters, then the potential for wave energy needs to be further investigated.