What it is
Minesto is a Swedish marine energy company that has developed the Dragon 12, a 1.2 MW tidal power 'kite' that flies through ocean currents to generate electricity. Unlike conventional tidal turbines that are fixed to the seabed, Dragon 12 moves through the water in a figure-eight pattern, amplifying the energy it captures from low-velocity tidal streams. The first commercial-scale unit was grid-connected in the Faroe Islands in 2024, making it the world's first operational tidal energy kite.
Why we picked this
Tidal energy is the most predictable renewable source (tides are governed by celestial mechanics, not weather), yet it has lagged behind wind and solar due to high infrastructure costs. Minesto's kite design changes the economics by working in slow tidal streams (1.2-2.4 m/s) that conventional turbines cannot exploit, opening up coastlines previously written off for tidal energy. If the Faroe Islands deployment proves commercially viable, it unlocks tidal power for hundreds of coastal communities worldwide.
Key takeaways
- Tidal energy is 100% predictable years in advance, unlike wind and solar, making it uniquely valuable for grid stability and baseload planning.
- The Dragon 12's kite design generates power at current speeds as low as 1.2 m/s, compared to 2.5+ m/s required by conventional tidal turbines, expanding viable sites by an order of magnitude.
- The Faroe Islands installation produces enough electricity to power approximately 1,000 homes, with plans for a 30 MW array that would meet a significant share of the islands' electricity demand.