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
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
OTEC Bioplume report released
Published December 4, 2012 | 
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses large flows of warm surface seawater and cold deep seawater to generate clean electricity. The tropical ocean at a typical OTEC site has two distinct layers: a warm surface layer with low nutrient levels, and a cold deep layer that is nutrient-rich. Introducing deep nutrients into the ocean’s sun-lit upper layers could potentially increase plankton growth or cause algal blooms. Thus, seawater discharged from an OTEC plant should be… Continue reading
OTEC potential on the Philippines
Published September 15, 2012 | An interesting article was recently published by the Manilla Bulletin Publishing Corporation.
Due to its geographical position near the equator, the use of ocean thermal energy can be very interesting in the seas and streets of the Philippines. Currently, the UK company Energy Island Bell Pirie Ltd. is planning to construct a 10-megawatt closed-cycle OTEC facility in Cabangan, Philippines as a pilot project. Ms. Latimer, director of Energy Island Bell Pirie, emphasized that OTEC has… Continue reading
1MW OTEC RFI from NELHA
Published October 10, 2011 | The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) has published an RFI seeking submissions from firms and or government agencies interested in developing a 1 megawatt Ocean Thermal Energy (OTEC) project at its 870 acre Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology (HOST Park) in Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawaii.
Interestingly enough, the RFI was published on 30 September 2011, all questions must be answered by 14 October and the submission must be in by… Continue reading
Curaçao Ecopark with SWAC and OTEC research
Published September 30, 2011 | The Curaçao Airport Holding company are working on a an “industrial park for high-tech production and research facilities with a sustainable character” called an Ecopark and have recently signed an MOU with a German company, Bricks International to develop a draft plan for the Ecopark. The concept was designed (PDF file) by a Dutch company, Bluerise, which is a startup company in the OTEC technology-provider space. Interestingly enough, the Ecopark vision is focused around… Continue reading
