The steady roll of the Mississippi River, inspiration for so many great American songs and stories, also could light homes and power businesses, say developers who aim to turn that idea into reality.

The proposed project to convert the torrent beneath North America’s largest river into electricity is one of dozens of efforts across the United States to harness the energy produced by the constant surge of tides and rivers. These new proposals differ from traditional hydroelectric projects, which rely on dams to control the water’s flow.

The current of the Mississippi River flows past New Orleans at around 4 mph (6 kmh) at times, according to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Since moving water can produce 800 times