Abstract
Marine renewable energy provides a potentially vast power source which can be harnessed for sustainable energy in areas at sea and along the coast. Tidal energy specifically is characterized by strong predictability and consistent availability. However, energy harvesting systems such as tidal turbines currently lack efficient and affordable power conversion systems that can handle the high peak to average power ratios associated with tidal energy. We present a tidal power converter topology with maximum power point tracking control for use in this application. The converter is discussed with respect to existing solutions and tested in a MATLAB-Simulink model to demonstrate its novelty.