OTEC papers

Potential and future prospects for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) in small islands developing states (PDF, 108 kb)

April 2004, by Al Binger (11 pages)

The influence of recent low interest rates on the estimated prices of OTEC fuels (PDF 65 kb)

An important goal of OTEC commercial development is to produce vehicle fuels that can be a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to gasoline. If OTEC methanol was available now in commercial quantities it could replace gasoline made from crude oil, particularly that imported from the Persian Gulf region. 22 March 2004, William H. Avery (5 pages).

Revisit Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion system

An OTEC overview. July 2003, Joseph C. Huang, Hans J. Krock and Stephen K. Oney (20 pages).

Energy from the sea: the potential and realities of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) (PDF 3.5 Mb)

The potential for OTEC is enormous, although probably not only specifically as electricity from the sea. It is the package of possible co-products driven by the combination of deep and surface ocean waters that makes this alternative very promising as a major new resource base with very real prospects for improving the environment. 30 June 2003 by Patrick Takahashi (43 pages).

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) (PDF, 649 kb)

An OTEC overview, with special emphasis on the OTEC work performed at NELHA, Hawaii. December 1999, L. A. Vega (23 pages)

A Brief History of OTEC Research at NELHA (PDF 304 kb)

This is an overview of the work that has been down with OTEC at the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii. August 1999 by Thomas H Daniel (5 pages).

OTEC sites (PDF 290 kb)

OTECs can be sited anywhere across about 60 million square kilometers (23 million square miles) of tropical oceans-anywhere there is deep (and, therefore, cold) water lying under warm surface water. This document lists 99 potential shorebased OTEC sites with a brief discussion about each. November 1997 by Richard Crews (18 pages).

Operation of a small open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion experimental facility (PDF 936 kb)

A small but important step in the development of OTEC power and desalinated water plants has been taken in Hawaii. A land-based open cycle experimental plant has been designed and built 60 years after Georges Claude's pioneering work. November 1993 by Luis A. Vega and Donald E. Evans (16 pages).

Economics of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (PDF 877 kb)

The cost of producing electricity with OTEC plants is compared to the cost of electricity produced with fossile fuel plants to estabish scenarios under which OTEC could be competitive. 1992 by Luis Vega (16 pages).

Carbon dioxide release from OTEC cycles (PDF, 520kb)

This paper presents the results of recent measurements of C02 release from an open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) experiment. Based on these data, the rate of short-term C02 release from future open-cycle OTEC plants is projected to be 15 to 25 times smaller than that from fossil-fueled electric power plants. November 1989, by Herbert J. Green and Peter R. Guenther (12 pages).

Operational experience of the OC-OTEC experiments at NELH (PDF 404 kb)

This paper describes the open cycle OTEC at NELHA, the major tests conducted during its first 18 months of operation and the experice gained in the OC-OTEC system operation. February 1989 by Hal Link (6 pages).

Ocean thermal power effect on greenhouse gases (PDF, 360kb)

A paper about greenhouse gas impact by an OTEC powerplant. 1988(?) by J. Hilbert Anderson, Sea Solar Power, Inc. York, Pa. (8 pages)

Ocean Thermal Power - The coming revolution (PDF, 1.1Mb)

An overview of OTEC. 1983, by J. Hilbert Anderson, Sea Solar Power, Inc. York, Pa. (18 pages).

Energy from the ocean (PDF 2.5 Mb)

Techniques of ocean thermal energy conversion are summarized, along with the development status of the required power system and ocean system components. The worldwide ocean thermal resource is assessed as a function of geography and time. Environmental impacts and siting considerations are treated. Diverse commercial market applications of OTEC are summarized, based upon the two key options for OTEC of providing electricity by submarine cable and of manufacturing energy-intensive products for shipment to dispersed markets. By-products of OTEC such as fresh water and nutrients for mariculture are discussed. 1982, Robert Cohen (33 pages).

Compact heat exchangers for sea thermal power (PDF, 1.5Mb)

It has, for a long time been recognized that the key element affecting the economic feasibility of ocean thermal power is the cost of the heat exchangers. March 1977 by J. Hilbert Anderson and J. H. Anderson, Jr., Sea Solar Power, Inc. York, Pa. (13 pages).

Influence of design factors on the economy of sea thermal power plants (PDF, 2.7Mb)

At first thought, it seems that, because a sea thermal power plant is fuel-free, efficiency and losses doesn't really matter. Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. The greatest cost in operating a low-temperature power plant such as this are those of getting heat to and from the working cycle. Therefor plant cost is almost inversely proportional to net plant efficiency. effects of efficiency losses on plant economics and show This paper examines the various design factors do affect overall feasibility. March 1977, by J. Hilbert Anderson and J. H. Anderson, Jr., Sea Solar Power, Inc. York, Pa. (19 pages).

An early ocean test platform conversion (PDF, 900kb)

The Hughes Mining Barge will be converted to OTEC-1, the first major test vehicle to perform operational testinq of power cycle components; sea trials are scheduled for 1979. Thr. barge is 324 feet long with a 106-foot beam having a displacemenit of about 6000 light tons. OTEC-1 will be desiqned to test components which will produce about 1 MWe (gross): heat exchangers, pumps, cold water pipe and ammonia system. The three phases of barge conversion are discussed. May 1977, L. K Donovan and C. R. Oddea (4 pages).

Sea solar power and the chemical industry (PDF, 608 kb)

An early paper on OTEC. April 1975 by J. Hilbert Anderson (13 page).

Water desalting in sea solar power plants (PDF, 2 Mb)

September 1973, by J. Hilbert Anderson (24 page).

Sea Solar Power desalting system (PDF, 528 kb)

Unknown date, by J. Hilbert Anderson (4 page).