Iran Energy News Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Energy Field Specialized Channel
Related Articles
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is the oldest renewable energy technology you’ve never heard of. The idea for the technology, which exploits the differing temperatures in different layers of ocean water to create energy, is almost 150 years old, but is only now gaining traction for practical application. While OTEC will likely never take over the energy industry, it could become an essential source of energy for island nations and other coastal communities in the decarbonization era.
London company Global OTEC plans to bring the first commercial-scale ocean thermal energy generator online as soon as 2025. And just last week oil supermajor Shell Technology signed a deal with Makai Ocean Engineering to test and develop “potentially transformative proprietary technologies” including an OTEC system.
OTEC harvests warm water close to the surface of the ocean which has been heated by the sun’s energy. This warm water is then pumped through an evaporator which contains a fluid ready to be vaporized (such as ammonia or water). The vapor then turns a turbine to create electricity. Next, cold water is pumped from lower layers of the ocean further away from the sun’s warmth to cool down the vaporized fluid so that the whole process can be repeated. For the technology to function, the difference in ocean water temperatures has to be at least 20° Celsius or 36° Fahrenheit.
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is the oldest renewable energy technology you’ve never heard of. The idea for the technology, which exploits the differing temperatures in different layers of ocean water to create energy, is almost 150 years old, but is only now gaining traction for practical application. While OTEC will likely never take over the energy industry, it could become an essential source of energy for island nations and other coastal communities in the decarbonization era.
London company Global OTEC plans to bring the first commercial-scale ocean thermal energy generator online as soon as 2025. And just last week oil supermajor Shell Technology signed a deal with Makai Ocean Engineering to test and develop “potentially transformative proprietary technologies” including an OTEC system.
OTEC harvests warm water close to the surface of the ocean which has been heated by the sun’s energy. This warm water is then pumped through an evaporator which contains a fluid ready to be vaporized (such as ammonia or water). The vapor then turns a turbine to create electricity. Next, cold water is pumped from lower layers of the ocean further away from the sun’s warmth to cool down the vaporized fluid so that the whole process can be repeated. For the technology to function, the difference in ocean water temperatures has to be at least 20° Celsius or 36° Fahrenheit.
