Tidal & Wave
The smallest category here — but 2026 has the most credible project pipeline this tech has ever had.
Tidal and wave power remain pre-commercial at real scale almost everywhere, but 2026 has three real, dated, permitted projects rather than proposals — the most credible pipeline the sector has had.
Standings
The Morlais tidal site off Wales is set to deliver 240 MW of capacity, with the first device deployment in 2026 — the largest named project in this category by planned capacity.
A tidal farm of seven 2.5 MW turbines (17.5 MW total) is due to open in 2026 — a real, dated, permitted project, not just a proposal.
A 1 MW wave energy project in Porto has completed its environmental assessment and submitted a full execution plan, targeting grid connection in 2026 — the smallest of the three, but the most advanced wave-specific (not tidal) project tracked here.
Key facts
- Morlais tidal site (Wales) targets 240 MW, first device deployment 2026 — Ecoportal
- Eco Wave Power submitted a full execution plan for a 1 MW Porto wave project — Eco Wave Power
How this ranking was determined
Ranked by planned/permitted capacity among named, dated 2026 projects — proposals without a permit or a date were not counted.