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The news source for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)
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Saturday, December 15, 2001
Commercial linkup with NELHA
 Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority is soliciting for proposals for "Commercial proposals for development to support ocean-related activities at NELHA". The document can be found at the NELHA homepage.
It will be very interesting to see what turns up as a result of this. They are in particular looking for "proposals that demonstrate strong revenue generation opportunities". Well, aren't we all?  Friday, December 14, 2001
More carbon under the rug
 Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory show how artificially created calcium bicarbonate, using limestone, can be used to lock up carbon in the ocean. This is a naturally occuring process, but it takes 5,000-10,000 years. This method would supposedly have fewer negative effects compared with schemes such as injecting CO2 directly into the ocean or fertilising the ocean with iron. It is envisaged that this process would be hooked up to a CO2 producing powerplant.
New Scientist points out (Issue No. 2321) that a large quantity of limestone would be required and this would probably have to be strip mined. Wednesday, December 12, 2001
NIOT puts out tender for logistic support for OTEC plant
 The National Insitiute of Ocean Technology in India invites contractors to tender for logistic support 40 nautical miles off Tuticorin. "Tug is required for providing shore support and towage services and transportation of men and materials for supply of fuel, water, ammonia, sodium hypochlorite solution, spares, provisions, ship stores etc., to the OTEC site and back to Tuticorin port". The original tender can currently be found here.
Patent on manure in your fields?
 Interestingly enough it turns out that a Michael Markels of Springfield, Virginia, has US patents on artificially fertilising the ocean to increase sea food production in the ocean as well as sequestering carbon dioxide this way. The patents were filed from between 1994 and 2000. For carbon sequestering he invisages that a ship moves in a spiral pattern over deep water, dispersing fertiliser to create a bloom of phytoplankton. The plankton sink to the bottom of the ocean when they die, taking with them the carbon they absorbed at the surface. He has performed experiments by adding iron salts to an area of the tropical Pacific. The phytoplankton volume increased by a factor of 27 over nine days, yielding 272 kilograms of plankton per kilogram of fertiliser. He estimates the cost at $5 per tonne of carbon stashed away.
His patents can be found at the US Patent & Trademark Office: 5,535,701 - Method of increasing seafood production in the ocean 5,967,087 - Method of increasing seafood production in the barren ocean 6,056,919 - Method of sequestering carbon dioxide 6,200,530 - Method of sequestering carbon dioxide with spiral fertilization I find it hard to belive that there isn't enough prior art to invalidate a carbon sequestration patent filed in 2000. There is some interesting reading there though with regards to potential impact of adding of fertiliser to the oceans, which the cold "waste" water from an OTEC can be used for. Tuesday, December 11, 2001
Neural networks meets the wave
 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai (Bombay) have designed a neural network to predict the height of waves several hours before the reach inshore waters, reports Marine Structures, vol 15, page 57. The computer neural network is fed with local conditions such as wind speed and wave height, and learns by experience to make its predictions. The system was designed to help lay submarine pipelines and has been tested for 16 months on the east coast of India. The system performed substantially better than the current methods based on past and present meterological data fed into a mathematical model.
One of the most difficult and costly parts of installing and maintaining an OTEC is to the cold water pipe. The predictions provided by a neural network as described above could be critical in avoiding damage to an OTECs multi-million dollar cold water pipe.
Natural upwelling zone between Seychelles and Mauritius
 New Scientist reports briefly about the a natural upwelling zone which has been found between the Seychelles and Mauritius by the Shoals of Capricorn Programme. The upwelling zone may well be one of the worlds most fertile spots of open water. Chris Gallienne from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and his collegues found more than 500 milligrams of zooplankton per cubic metre of water. Chris said "Certainly it's among the highest levels you'd ever find in the open ocean." "It is a very surprising find." He believes the planton thrive on nutrients brought up to the surface a water is forced over submerged shelves between the islands. Chris also said "I can't understand why there isn't a big fishery here."
From an OTEC point of view there is some very important information to be gleaned from this. First we find a high natural concentration of zooplankton, which is to be expected in a mariculture environment run in conjunction with an OTEC. Secondly this happens naturally in an area which is ideal for hosing OTEC installations. An OTEC could produce similar results, which would be artificial but not damaging to the environment. |
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