Learn about Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

Marking this year's World Ocean Day with a special celebration of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), this educational video is the result of a cooperation between Global OTEC, environmentalist Kane Baker, of the George F. Baker Trust Foundation and Schoolyard Films. The film was created to illustrate how the technology works and its relevance and advantages.

Using animation and motion graphics, this informative piece highlights how OTEC will change the energy scenery in tropical islands. Currently powered by fossil fuels, these nations also face the highest electricity costs compared to the rest of the world. OTEC surges as a great alternative for their renewable energy transition.

****Copyrights Disclaimer****
You are free to share the content (such as in classes, lectures, presentations or any other educative or informative context). You can copy the link and redistribute the material in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

[lynseypink]

Brilliant advert about a fantastic concept. 😊

[mikecurtis]

A nice little educational video that could also be a good promotional tool. This process has been around since the late 1800s. What has changed is the the equipment has got better. The next stage is to go for a floating OTEC based, say, on an old drill ship that slowly moves around the oceans. It can then create ammonia which can be shipped back to shore, as they do now with oil (think of an FPSO) and the hydrogen can be extracted for use say, in vehicles. This would be truly green hydrogen and not reformed natural gas.which makes a lot of pollution and is far from green.
The only drawback is that I don't live in an area that can run an OTEC plant. Too far North.
The biggest trouble is just that. People in cooler climates don't understand what OTEC is, let alone how it works. They can't see how it could benefit them and thus It does not draw much funding.

[aurumargentum]

This inspires me. Now I want to live on an island so I can use this kind of energy.

[luimackjohnson]

Superb! Thank you Global OTEC for sharing this video!

Now I need one right away to soak test near my little island in Hanza Bay in Nubia, Bogia District, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea and about twenty more before last quarter of 2024. What is the cost of such units?

[timtravelnomad]

How much temperature difference do you need? And what's the minimum surface temperature?

[elbowstrike]

Can we not do this with geothermal as well? Use warmer water from deep in the ground and cooling with surface water, such as a cooling pond, to drive a turbine with a working fluid with a low boiling point?

[zadinal]

So you got any non-cartoon versions of these platforms? How are you going to address the energy cost of pumping water from deep in the ocean? Now I also assume that when you pump cold water up then you just dump the warmed water into the surface ocean level, any consequences to this? Seems like dumping cold water into warm might be bad in the local area.

[cezariusus]

What about the amount of heat being dumped at the bottom of the sea? How is that going to impact marine life and ocean currents? Is there a limit to how much power it can generate before the differences in temperature are too small?

[sampleoffers]

This sounds very awesome, and yet there's the same concept when salt water begins to interact with fresh water, I think called "estuaries"...I think. Furthermore if you can make hydrogen or some sort of fuel with the energy, maybe liquid oxygen...Then you can power more than islands. EDIT: Just read part about green ammonia, nice

[eduardocabrera]

É um processo baseado no efeito seebeck?
Sei que é de baixa eficiência atualmente, mas é uma boa ideia aproveitar a diferença de temperatura das profundidades diferentes do oceano.

[thamiordragonheart]

is there any plan to build these with integrated desalination? Given all the disadvantages of OTEC in terms of capital costs and maintenance, nearly free desalination always seems like the key redeeming quality. Building it so you can use the deep water for cooling directly seems like another important strategy for maximizing value. The LCOE just never looks very good for OTEC without cheating somehow by getting secondary products for less energy than they would normally take.

[PeaceMah]

How often are the intake screens needing to be cleaned? If energy cannot be created or destroyed by the first law of thermodynamics. The heat energy removed is converted to electricity, which has heat losses in transmission. The condensate after the turbine heat exchange is cooled by seawater, so does this create overall net ocean-cooling since the heat is converted into electricity? Interesting concept. How is ocean scaling dealt in the cooling system? How hot does the steam get before it enters the turbine?

[n-qo]

So it does carry refrigerant? If so, how toxic is it to the ocean life & plants? What's to stop wear/tear/destructive whether/forces from making it leak or fall apart? What happens to the device when it's damaged or falling apart? Will they come out & recycle it or let it sink to the bottom of the ocean? These r just some questions I have~not poo~pooing anything....

[camilleguay]

Man I was thinking this was possible !

[Dalette]

Great video! Can i know what software do you use for making the animation?

[mohammedkani.a]

Animations are great...could you teach me?

[Jay-xlg]

bro but isnt this extremeley edxpensive

[vipulwaghmode]

Wont be it easier, cost effective and minimal maintainance just to put floating solar panels in the ocean?