A marine tidal power station operates off the southeast coast of Xiushan Island in Daishan county, Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Sept 25, 2025. [Photo/IC]

The first Ocean Tidal Current Energy Development Conference was held in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 22. The event brought together experts, scholars, and industry representatives to explore strategies for advancing the large-scale and industrial development of tidal energy.

Zhejiang holds over half of China's total tidal energy reserves, primarily concentrated in Hangzhou Bay and Zhoushan. The region's numerous waterways, abundant resources, and stable sea conditions make Zhoushan one of the most ideal areas for tidal energy development.

In recent years, Zhoushan has promoted marine clean energy projects, taking the lead nationwide in resource integration, technology, equipment, and engineering applications. Moving forward, the city aims to build a globally influential port for tidal energy by establishing a complete industrial chain encompassing R&D, equipment manufacturing, maintenance, and demonstration projects — positioning itself as a hub for innovation and a national base for tidal energy equipment manufacturing.

The conference was a part of the 8th Interregional Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference, also known as IPEC 2025. Two key institutions were launched during the event and several major projects were signed. Notably, the 100-megawatt Zhoushan Tidal Energy project, with a total investment of about 3 billion yuan ($421 million), will serve as a national demonstration of grid-connected tidal power generation.