Abstract
Ocean thermal energy conversion, or OTEC, is a technology that extracts power from the ocean's natural thermal gradient. This technology is being pursued by researchers from many nations; in the United States, OTEC research is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Ocean Energy Technology Program. The program's goal is to develop the technology so that industry can make a competent assessment of its potential--either as an alternative or as a supplement to conventional energy sources. Federally funded research in components and systems will help bring OTEC to the threshold of commercialization. This publication provides an overview of the OTEC technology.