Our research employs numerical models and fields measurements to facilitate the responsible development of electricity generation from tidal currents. Numerical models are applied at a variety of scales to better understand the recoverable kinetic resource. For example, at the estuarine scale, kinetic power extraction leads to a number of far-field effects (e.g., changes to the tidal range) which have important environmental, social, and economic consequences. Field measurements are separately applied to characterize tidal energy sites and device performance. One goal is to develop device-neutral site characterization methodologies to describe key attributes of the hydrokinetic resource.