OTEC Testing in Okinawa
Published May 14, 2013 | 
Okinawa Prefecture has announced the start of the OTEC operation test at Kume Island on April 15th. The main aim is to examine the expected fluctuation of electricity supply caused by changes in weather, season, and sea temperature. The testing and research will be conducted with the support of Saga University until the end of 2014.
IHI Plant Construction Co. Ltd, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, and Xenesys Inc were entrusted to construct the 50 kilowatt plant… Continue reading
Lockheed Martin and Reignwood Group to Develop Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Power Plant
Published April 16, 2013 | 
Today, Lockheed Martin has announced that it is working with Reignwood Group to develop an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) pilot power plant off the coast of southern China. A memorandum of agreement between the two companies was signed in Beijing on Saturday. Following the ceremony, both companies met with United States Secretary of State John Kerry during his first official state visit to the People’s Republic of China.
The 10-megawatt offshore plant, to be… Continue reading
Upcoming OTEC conferences
Published April 15, 2013 | The number of OTEC related conferences is increasing, which confirms the recent gain in momentum for OTEC. We would like to highlight three upcoming conferences:
International OTEC symposium: 9 – 11 September 2013
In September the International OTEC symposium will be held as part of the 2013 Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo. The symposium will provide a platform for information exchange and discussion, and will identify steps to OTEC commercialization for… Continue reading
New director Friends of NELHA
Published April 13, 2013 | 
Sarah Crawford, a Kona attorney and coffee farmer, has been selected as the new executive director of the Friends of NELHA. Crawford’s selection was announced by David Kaapu, chairman of the board of directors for Friends of NELHA.
Crawford is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Her law practice has involved mediating disputes and counseling clients in the areas of technology and intellectual property licensing.
Prior to… Continue reading
OTEC testing in the Indian Ocean
Published April 4, 2013 | Following the construction of an OTEC prototype by DCNS in Indian Ocean Island of La Reunion in May, 2012, three tests have recently been conducted been conducted. DCNS is a naval defense company based in France. The three configurations were tested by DCNS in collaboration with the University of Réunion Island’s Laboratory of Physical and Mathematical Engineering for Energy and the Environment focused on the configuration of the heat exchanger, specifically the evaporator,… Continue reading
A New Approach to OTEC Resource Estimation: OGCM’s as a Modeling Tool
Published March 20, 2013 | Various attempts have been made in the past to estimate the global ocean thermal energy potential with also a significant span in ranges. The last IPCC reports states a recoverable OTEC potential of 108-324 EJ per year while the IIASA ended up with a value of 30,000 EJ per year [Avery, W. H., and G. L. Dugger. "Contribution of ocean thermal energy conversion to world energy needs." International Journal of Ambient Energy 1.3 (1980): 177-190.].… Continue reading
100 kilowatt turbine-generator for Kona test facility
Published March 19, 2013 | Today, Makai Ocean Engineering issued a press release announcing two endeavors in assisting the Navy to reach its alternative energy goals. The first is the design, planning and procurement of a 100-kilowatt turbine-generator for the Hawai’i Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Test Facility. The second project includes the installation and operation of this turbine-generator, as well as the design and testing of two new OTEC heat exchangers. “Makai Ocean Engineering is committed to… Continue reading
