OTEC

Capturing energy using temperature gradients across water depths.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) technology converts solar energy stored in the layers of the tropical and subtropical oceans. Thermal heat engines use the temperature difference between the sun-warmed surface water and cold water in the deep ocean. The temperature difference between surface waters and deeper water can reach over 25oC in summer months, although usually this temperature difference exists only over water with depths of 1,000 m or greater. Many different OTEC archetypes have been investigated, some on floating offshore platforms and some built onshore with pipelines to transport the water to and from the ocean. Each system uses one or a combination of thermodynamic processes to turn the temperature difference into mechanical energy. Both the open-cycle and closed-cycle plants use cold water pumped from the deep ocean to condense a working fluid. An ancillary benefit is that the condensate is freshwater that can have other uses such as agriculture and potable drinking water.

Photo: Okinawa Prefecture Industrial Policy Division

Affiliated Marine Energy Engineering Documents

Total results: 426
Title Author Date Type of Content Technology Collection Method Engineering
Ocean thermal energy conversion- materials issues Darby, J. Journal Article OTEC Field Data Materials, Performance, Structural
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: An Overview Solar Technical Information Program Report OTEC
Ocean thermal energy conversion: Current overview and future outlook Tanner, D. Journal Article OTEC
Ocean thermal energy conversion: Its promise as a total resource system Takahashi, P., Trenka, A. Journal Article OTEC
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: Technology Brief Kempener, R., Neumann, F. Report OTEC
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion—Flexible Enabling Technology for Variable Renewable Energy Integration in the Caribbean Brecha, R., Schoenenberger, K., Ashtine, M. Journal Article OTEC, Open-Cycle Grid Integration
Ocean thermal energy harvesting with phase change material for underwater glider Ma, Z., Wang, Y., Wang, S. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Field Data, Modeling, Full Scale Performance, Power Take Off
Ocean thermal energy resources in Colombia Devis-Morales, A., Montoya-Sánchez, R., Osorio, A. Journal Article OTEC Modeling
Ocean thermal energy utilization process in underwater vehicles: Modelling, temperature boundary analysis, and sea trail Zhang, H., Liu, C., Yang, Y. Journal Article OTEC Field Data, Modeling
Oceanic Observation and Investigation for Compound use of OTEC in Kumejima Ikegami, Y., Yasunaga, T., Urata, K. Journal Article OTEC Field Data
Oceanographic characterization of areas of interest for a possible implementation of OTEC technology in Mexico Garcia Huante, A., Ponce-Núñez, F., Garduño-Ruiz, E. Conference Paper OTEC Field Data
OES Annual Report 2017 Ocean Energy Systems Report Current, Wave, OTEC
OES Annual Report: An Overview of Ocean Energy Activities in 2020 Ocean Energy Systems Report Current, Tidal, Ocean Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC
OES Annual Report: An Overview of Ocean Energy Activities in 2022 Ocean Energy Systems (OES) Report Current, Tidal, Wave, OTEC
Off-design performance analysis of a closed-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system with solar thermal preheating and superheating Aydin, H., Lee, H., Kim, H. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Performance
Off-design performance of closed OTEC cycles for power generation Giostri, A., Romei, A., Binotti, M. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Offshore Renewables: An Action Agenda for Deployment IRENA Report Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC
On technical issues for underwater charging of robotic fish schools using ocean renewable energy Jin, L., Cui, W. Journal Article Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC Modeling Performance
On the Marine Energy Resources of Mexico Hernández-Fontes, J., Felix, A., Mendoza, E. Journal Article Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC Field Data, Modeling Hydrodynamics
Open-Cycle OTEC Seawater Experiments in Hawaii Lewis, L. , Trimble, L., Bowers, J. Conference Paper OTEC, Open-Cycle Lab Data Performance, Structural
Operation Control and Performance Analysis of an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion System Based on the Organic Rankine Cycle Yang, X., Liu, Y., Chen, Y. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Control, Performance
Opinion on ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) Xiao, C., Gulfam, R. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Materials, Performance, Structural
Optimal design of radial inflow turbine for ocean thermal energy conversion based on the installation angle of nozzle blade Chen, Y., Liu, Y., Liu, W. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Performance
Optimal design of the ocean thermal energy conversion systems involving weather and energy demand variations Hernández-Romero, I., Nápoles-Rivera, F., Flores-Tlacuahuac, A. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Performance
Optimization design and exergy analysis of organic rankine cycle in ocean thermal energy conversion Sun, F., Ikegami, Y., Jia, B. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Materials, Performance
Optimization Design of the Organic Rankine Cycle for an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion System Yang, X., Liu, Y., Chen, Y. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Optimization Study on Floating Structure and Risers Design for a 100 MW-Net Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Power Plant Adiputra, R., Utsunomiya, T. Conference Paper OTEC Modeling Performance, Structural
OTEC Advanced Composite Cold Water Pipe: Final Technical Report Miller, A., Ascari, M. Report OTEC, Hybrid-Cycle Lab Data Materials, Structural
OTEC and Advanced Deep Ocean Water Use for Kumejima: An Introduction Martin, B., Okamura, S., Yasunuga, T. Conference Paper OTEC, Closed-Cycle Field Data, Full Scale Grid Integration, Performance
OTEC biofouling and corrosion study at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, 1983--1987 Panchal, C., Stevens, H., Genens, L. Report OTEC Materials
OTEC biofouling, corrosion, and materials study from a moored platform at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico Sasscer, D., Tosteson, T., Morgan, T. Report OTEC Field Data
OTEC biofouling-control and corrosion-protection study at the Seacoast Test Facility: 1981-1983 Panchal, C., Larsen-Basse, J., Berger, L. Report OTEC Field Data
OTEC Commercialization Challenges Cooper, D., Meyer, L., Varley, R. Journal Article OTEC Field Data Materials, Performance, Structural
OTEC heat exchanger program ultrasonic scanning for corrosion monitoring Makai Ocean Engineering Report OTEC Lab Data Materials
OTEC Matters 2015 Dessne, P., Golmen, L. Report OTEC
OTEC Maximum Net Power Output Using Carnot Cycle and Application to Simplify Heat Exchanger Selection Fontaine, K., Yasunga, T., Ikegami, Y. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance, Structural
OTEC XH Testing Program 2014 Annual Report Makai Ocean Engineering Report OTEC Performance, Structural
Overview of metallic materials for heat exchangers for ocean thermal energy conversion systems Kapranos, P., Priestner, R. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Materials, Performance
PAMEC 2024 Plenary Session: Marine Energy Technologies & Services Johnstone, C. Presentation Current, Wave, OTEC
Pan American Marine Energy Conference 2020 Book of Abstracts Rojas M., J., Meza, C. Conference Paper Current, Wave, OTEC
Parameter Analysis on OTEC using Hybrid Cycle Ikegami, Y., Yasunaga, T., Okuno, T. Journal Article OTEC, Hybrid-Cycle Performance
Performance analysis and improvement for CC-OTEC system Wang, T., Ding, L., Gu, C. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Performance Analysis of a 10 MW Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant Using Rankine Cycle in Malaysia Thirugnana, S., Jaafar, A., Rajoo, S. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Performance analysis of a solar-assisted OTEC cycle for power generation and fishery cold storage refrigeration Yuan, H., Zhou, P., Mei, N. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Hybrid Devices, Performance
Performance analysis of an absorption power cycle for ocean thermal energy conversion Yuan, H., Zhou, P. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Performance analysis of an Open Cycle OTEC power module on laboratory scale Patnaik, B., Mani, A., Dudhgaonkar, P. Conference Paper OTEC, Open-Cycle Lab Data Performance
Performance analysis of an OTEC plant and a desalination plant using an integrated hybrid cycle Uehara, H., Miyara, A., Ikegami, Y. Journal Article OTEC, Hybrid-Cycle Performance
Performance analysis of ocean thermal energy conversion system integrated with waste heat recovery from offshore oil and gas platform Du, Y., Peng, H., Xu, J. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Performance
Performance characteristics of a high-efficiency R717 OTEC power cycle Yoon, J., Son, C., Baek, S. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Control, Performance
Performance enhancement of the combined power-refrigeration cycle using a liquid-gas-gas ejector for ocean thermal energy conversion Zhang, J., Zhang, Z., Zhou, S. Journal Article OTEC, Hybrid-Cycle Modeling Performance
Displaying 251 - 300 of 426 results