First Tidal Energy Turbine Launches off Devon

From Edie.Net comes this article,
World's First Offshore Tidal Energy Turbine(6/20/03). The article, which contains a photo of the project turbine, describes it as follows:

The turbine looks like a standard windmill, and the principle is exactly the same, albeit underwater. The structure is fixed into the seabed on a monopile and projects a few metres above the surface.

The article reports that project backers believe this concept could rival wind power because ocean currents are more reliable than wind and also because the turbines are less obtrusive. It will be interesting to follow the results of this new development and see if the developers' hopes for it hold true.