The complete structure has slightly positive buoyancy. The proposed structure has some portion above the ocean surface. The structure can be assembled in the ocean. The cost of a proposed 50 megawatt (MW, net power) OTEC plant is approximately 75 million dollars .
Why is OTEC expensive?
OTEC is a relatively expensive technology, since the construction of costly OTEC plants and infrastructure is necessary before power can be generated . However, once facilities are made operational, it may be possible to generate relatively inexpensive electricity.
How many OTEC plants are there in the world?
Cold seawater is an integral part of each of the three types of OTEC systems: closed-cycle, open-cycle, and hybrid.
How much energy does OTEC?
The resource potential for OTEC is considered to be much larger than for other ocean energy forms. Up to 88,000 TWh/yr of power could be generated from OTEC without affecting the ocean’s thermal structure. Systems may be either closed-cycle or open-cycle.
Where are OTEC plant located?
Located at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) in Kailua-Kona , the facility was connected to the US grid in August 2015 and is capable of providing baseload power, meaning it can constantly produce electricity 24 hours a day throughout the year.
How is OTEC caused?
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a process or technology for producing energy by harnessing the temperature differences (thermal gradients) between ocean surface waters and deep ocean waters . Energy from the sun heats the surface water of the ocean.
Which countries use OTEC?
Taiwan’s Ocean Energy Needs
Currently, Taiwan imports more than 98% of its energy resources from abroad, putting its citizens at the mercy of volatile energy prices. The country’s energy consumption is the equivalent of 10.5 million kiloliters of oil (approximately 2.2 million barrels) per day.
What is downside to OTEC?
Capital investment is very high . Low efficiency of these plants coupled with high capital cost and maintenance cost makes them uneconomical for small plants.
How efficient is OTEC?
Since the temperature and pressure difference between high level and low level is too small, the system efficiency of the OTEC power cycle is relatively lower (about 2%) than those of other kinds of renewable-energy systems such as waterpower generation (about 80%−90%) and solar heat generation (about 10%−15%).
What are the four areas of energy?
We divide our energy use among four economic sectors: residential, commercial, transportation, and industrial .
Why OTEC is the best alternative source of energy?
OTEC plants provide sustainable, renewable energy using nothing more than the heat found in ocean waters of the tropics . There are no fossil fuels or emissions, and because of the design of the plants, it’s also possible to create potable water during the process.
What are three types of ocean energy we can use to get electricity?
There are three main types of ocean technology: wave, tidal and ocean thermal .
Where does Hawaii get its power from?
Hawaii gets most of its electricity from oil-fired power plants , and all the oil is imported. Electricity there can cost three times as much as the national average, Gabbard said.
What does OTEC stand for *?
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a process or technology for producing energy by harnessing the temperature differences (thermal gradients) between ocean surface waters and deep ocean waters.
How does an OTEC plant work?
An OTEC power plant works by pulling in warm ocean surface water and this is used to heat a ‘working fluid’ such as ammonia or propane into a gas. These fluids have a low boiling temperature, which when turned into gas, moves the steam into pressurised shafts that are then used to drive turbines.
What is the basic principle of OTEC?
OTEC uses the ocean’s warm surface water with a temperature of around 25°C to vaporize a working fluid , which has a low-boiling point, such as ammonia. The vapor expands and spins a turbine coupled to a generator to produce electricity.
