How electricity is generated through a marine turbine

A marine turbine converts the kinetic energy of tidal waters into electrical energy that can be used in homes and businesses.
Marine turbines are installed on the seabed (1) near the shore, where tidal sea water will flow over the turbine rotor blades (2). To generate sufficient electricity, the blades need to turn at a steady quick pace, similar to a wind turbine. So marine turbines are installed where marine currents flow rapidly because they are focused by headlands, straits, inlets and narrow channels in the seabed. The rotor blades are specially shaped so they turn with both the ebbing and flowing of each tide.
The spinning blades are attached to a generator (3). The generator uses an electromagnetic field to convert rotational mechanical energy into electrical current. The operation of the marine turbine is monitored remotely (4).
Thus marine turbines can provide a steady supply of electrical energy four times in every 24-hour period (the ebb and flow of two daily tides). But they cannot increase their output to meet sudden peaks in demand.
Electrical energy is brought to shore via an undersea cable and, via a transformer, converted to the correct voltage for transmission (5). The national grid uses high voltages to transmit electricity efficiently through the power lines to the homes and businesses that need it (6). Here, other transformers reduce the voltage back down to a usable level.

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