From PESWiki

<< A Top 100 Energy Technology >>

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, or OTEC, seeks to harness the temperature difference between survace and deep sea water. It was was invented in 1881 by a French scientist, Jacques Arsene D'Arsonval.

About

Overview

• Ocean Energy Potential (http://www.energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=294&affillink=NEC) - Ocean energy is mostly in an experimental stage but some of its component technologies have the potential to become mainstream energy sources and are now being trialed. Elementary primer on three basic ways to tap the ocean for its energy. We can use the ocean's waves, we can use the ocean's high and low tides, or we can use temperature differences in the water. (EnergyBusinessReports; June 25, 2007) [Don't forget current and salt/fresh mixing.]
  

• 28 Years Ago on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17092) - An MIT Technology Review article estimated that "massive ocean thermal energy conversion plants may be turning this heat to usable electricity by 1985." This vision has not yet been fulfilled, though progress is being made toward 6-8 cents/kW-h electricity by this method. (MIT Technology Review; July 21, 2006)

Companies

• Sea Solar Power - The 80 degrees F surface water in the tropical oceans serves as the heat source and typically 3,000 feet below the surface is the heat sink or the cold bottom water, which is 40 degrees F. This temperature difference or delta T is sufficient to operate vapor turbines, which drive generators and produces electricity and fresh water as a byproduct.
  

• SEA O2 Sustainable Development (http://www.seao2.com/otec/index.html) - Townsville Australia is positioned to become the centre for the research, development and commercialisation of the ocean based renewable energy technology, OTEC. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion is a technology that has long been considered a potential source of low-cost, carbon-neutral, base-load electricity as well as bulk desalinated water.

Inventor

• Jacques D'Arsonval (1851-1940) (http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/289.html) (whonamedit.com)

Related

• Schauberger Ocean Power (http://www.frank.germano.com/oceanpower.htm) - At a certain depth in the Ocean, the temperature is at the anomaly point of +4 degrees Celsius, where, due to its enormous density, it is not possible to absorb any gases. By lowering a suitably designed length of pipe to the appropriate depth, atmospheric oxygen is delivered through an outer jacket, and the water will rise of its own accord up the center pipe, turning a turbine to produce electricity.

In the News

• http://www.otecnews.org/ - The news source for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

• Sea Solar Power Inc. to Tap Sea Temperature Gradient (http://pesn.com/2006/01/04/9600218_Sea_Solar_Power/) - Those hot ocean waters have a more useful purpose than just generating hurricanes. A reverse refrigeration process generates electricity from the difference in temperature between surface and deep water. (PESN; Jan. 4, 2006)
• http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/25/2227215
• http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/15/0222256
• http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.06/craven.ht ml

Directory / Encyclopedia Pages

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OTEC - Ocean thermal energy conversion
• http://www.nrel.gov/otec/
• Ocean Energy (http://www.energyplanet.info/Ocean_Energy/) - A visual directory of ocean energy websites. (EnergyPlanet.info)

See also

• Directory:Ocean
• Directory:Deep Lake Water Cooling
• Directory:Thermal Electric
• ThermoElectric (http://www.freeenergynews.com/Directory/ThermoElectric/) (index at FreeEnergyNews.com)

- Other Directory listings • Latest • A-I • J-R • S-Z • Tree • News
- PESWiki home page