Tidal (or tidal) turbine is designed to harvest tidal energy much more cheaply than dam-style installations

The Swedish engineering firm Minesto, a spin off from Saab, has developed a series of tidal turbines, or “sea dragons”, that look like submerged aircraft. The company operates two of the winged machines in the waters of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, where they generate electricity from the ocean current.

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The tidal turbines are tethered to the seabed by 40-metre long metal cables. Their 16-foot (five-meter) wingspan allows them to move through the water at speeds greater than the tide, amplifying the amount of energy produced and generating enough electricity to supply approximately 50 to 70 homes. This characteristic is the differential between the existing models of underwater turbines. Watch the video below and get to know the tidal turbine (or tidal turbine).

The principle is surprisingly similar to a wind turbine, developed by Kitekraft. Similar to an aircraft, Minesto's winged turbines generate thrust and electricity through the lift exerted by flowing water, as opposed to air.

Kitekraft machines, on the other hand, offer the benefit of being able to be controlled during storms or extremely high wind conditions to avoid damage to the systems. Both of the company's systems can be deployed as fleets, with each of the machines tethered far enough apart not to collide.

Turbines will be capable of generating 1,2 megawatts of power, meaning an underwater fleet could be enough to power 25 families in the Faroe Islands

Minesto's tidal generators use an onboard computer to drive them into the prevailing present, making them as environmentally friendly as possible. Electricity is distributed via the mooring cable to a different submarine cable, which is linked to a management station near the coastal town of Vestmanna.

The two wings, currently in use, have contributed to the national grid of the Faroe Islands as part of a test carried out the previous year. According to Minesto, the agency is currently engaged in new turbines with a wingspan of 39 feet (12 meters) and a moderate wingspan of 16 feet (5 meters). They will be capable of generating 1,2 megawatts of power, meaning an underwater fleet could be enough to power half of the 50 families in the Faroe Islands. The project aims to help the islands reach the goal of producing all their electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The Minesto project joins an inventory of bold tidal turbine initiatives being developed to help the world's governments meet their emissions targets. Earlier this year, for example, Scottish engineering agency Orbital Marine Power launched its 680 metric tonne turbine, known as the O2, which began sending power to the grid within the UK.