Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) was conceived by the French engineer Jacques D'Arenvisonval in 1881. However, at the time of writing, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii is the only operating experimental OTEC plant on earth.

OTEC is a potential alternative energy source that needs much more funding, experimentationand development than is presently the case. Cost appears to be the single biggest obstacle to OTEC implementation happening on a wide and practically useful level. The processes involved in this method to date are not only complex and expensive but also disruptive and potentially harmful to the environment locally. With improved technology, ocean thermal energy could produce clean energy and not add pollutants into the air or sea.

There are two main types of OTEC.

“Closed Cycle OTEC”  uses a low-boiling point liquid such as, for example, propane to act as an intermediate fluid. The OTEC plant pumps the warm sea water into the reaction chamber and boils the intermediate fluid. This results in the intermediate fluid's vapor pushing the turbine of the engine, which in turn generates electricity. The vapor is then cooled down by pumping in cold sea water.

“Hybrid Cycle OTEC”  is really just a theory at the moment. It seeks to describe the way that we could make maximum use of the thermal energy of the ocean's waters. There are actually two sub-theories to the theory of Hybrid Cycling. The first involves using a closed cycling  to generate electricity. This electricity is in turn used to create the vacuum environment needed for open cycling . The second component is the integration of two open cyclings such that twice the amount of desalinated, portable water is created with just one open cycle.

Furthermore, during the moderation period when sea water is surrounding the plant, an enclosed area can be used for mariculture and aquaculture projects such as fish farming. There are products and services that can be intergrated into the totality of producing alternative energy from ocean thermal energy conversion, but at present, much rseems to remain at a hypothetical and experimental level.

Incidentally, if you buy a product from one of the links on this page, I will be paid a small commission for your purchase :).  Editor

  Return to Main Articles List