Bay Area Eyes Sea Change

"The ocean is rife with options for generating renewable energy," Power adds. "Tidal power could be a real solution to the difficult position the world has now found itself in concerning limited and dangerous sources of energy."

The first operational test of a hydrokinetic energy system in the U.S. is currently being conducted by a small company called Verdant Power in New York City's East River. The company recently planted six turbines in the river at the southern end of Governor's Island.

However, the technology still needs to be improved. The current in the East River was so strong that it sheared off several blades from the turbines weeks after they were installed. Verdant's turbines are now reportedly shut down for repairs.

Meanwhile, PG&E has become an industry leader in the exploitation of renewable energy sources, which account for 13% of its energy. It's increasing that figure at a rate of 300 kilowatts a year. PG&E now purchases solar, wind, geothermal and wave-generated energy.

The joint study of San Francisco Bay will likely cost roughly $2 million and run through the summer of 2008. The directors of the study intend to run a cost-benefit study and an environmental impact analysis of potential tidal power installations.

If the findings of the feasibility study are positive, the project would still face several regulatory hurdles. Thus, PG&E says that 2011 is the earliest that an operational tidal energy plant could come online in San Francisco.