A Measurement Based Analyses of the Hydrokinetic Energy in the Gulf Stream

This study uses ocean current measurements made of the East Coast of the US to evaluate the ocean current based electricity production potential in the Gulf Stream. Drifter data from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment are used to map the energy density from South Florida to North Carolina, showing that the most energy dense areas exist off the east coast of Central Florida. Bottom and vessel mounted ADCP measurements are used to conduct a more detailed study near 26°N and 27°N respectively. These results quantify the energy profiles in these regions showing a 54% increase in energy at 27°N.