Fitting tidal turbines with flexible rubber blades could enable the machines to generate cheaper power by making them simpler and tougher, a study published in the journal Nature suggests.

Rubber blades that change shape in strong currents can generate as much electricity as today’s most advanced designs, without the complex machinery they need to survive at sea, researchers say.

Their findings show the blades naturally bend to shed excess force, reducing by up to one-third the rapid swings in load that wear turbines out.