Are there any commercial hydrokinetic plants?

With close to 50 permits for ocean, wave and tidal projects, and 40 river permits that have been issued there are still only a few commercial hydrokinetic plants in place since the permits only allow for study and research of the proposed area to be developed. This world’s first six successful energy generating underwater turbines were installed in New York’s East River in 2007 which were able to power a parking garage and small store. The only known operating river hydrokinetic source is in Minnesota but is used for research purposes, along with a heave surge device the size of a football field known as the Pelamis Wave Energy Convertor, which has successfully generated electricity into the Portuguese grid off the coast of Agucuadoura.

References

www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/hydropower-geothermal/

www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-hydrokinetic-energy-works

www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/02/hydrokinetic-permits-abound-despite-objections

www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/6346/marine-and-hydrokinetic-energy-can-play-a-substantial-role-in-clean-energy-options/