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www.sname.org/sname/mt HK: THE EMERGING PLAYER October 2012 BY BRIAN LOUNSBERRY Marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) devices make up the large group of energy devices that are designed to capture the energy stored in the earthÂs waves, tides, river currents, and ocean thermal gradients. MHK diers fundamentally from traditional conventional hydropower because gravity is not the prime mover for the uid and the devices do not rely on a diversion or dam. Marine and hydrokinetic energy is an emerg- ing player in the world energy market and while its footprint is still very small, signicant advances are being made. Land-based wind turbines, conventional fossil fuel, and nuclear power plants all have a physical presence. While their inner workings may not be understood by passersby, these power plants are nonetheless acknowledged by the general public because their cooling towers or other structures are prominent features on the landscape. In contrast, MHK device deployments are very much in the shadows, generally away from public eyes. ese devices are best suited for some of the most energetic marine resources in the world, which are very rarely seen by the general public. At present, MHK deployments worldwide total approximately 534 MW of installed capacity. To put this number into perspec- tive, this total is equal to the average size of one unit of a typical coal-red power plant in the United States. While still an emergent industry, there are more than 70 companies in the U.S. pursuing MHK devices and 19 countries worldwide with active or planned MHK projects. One could argue that MHK has been pursued by man for quite some time, going back to the days of Archimedes and Leonardo da Vinci. Practically speaking, MHK has been stud- ied since the 1800s, experienced an uptick in interest in the 1970s, and within the last decade has experienced rapid growth. Technology MHK device types are extremely varied. e industry can best be characterized as incredibly nascent and characterized by multiple vendors seeking the best solution through multiple Challenges and opportunities for the nascent marine and hydrokinetic energy industry