Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Facts

Ocean thermal energy conversion is one of the renewable energy sources in the world.

Ocean thermal energy conversion facts.

Pipes are used to bring large volumes of colder water up from the depths while warmer water is also drawn into the otec plant from the ocean surface. Ocean thermal energy conversion otec uses the ocean thermal gradient between cooler deep and warmer shallow or surface seawaters to run a heat engine and produce useful work usually in the form of electricity otec can operate with a very high capacity factor and so can operate in base load mode. The denser cold water masses formed by ocean surface water interaction with cold atmosphere in. Energy from the sun heats the surface water of the ocean.

Most of the time it is shortened as otec. It is a source of energy that benefits the world and everything in it. Although this temperature difference generally. Together the warm ocean surface and the cool deep water can generate heat.

This temperature difference can be used to produce electricity and to desalinate ocean water. In tropical regions surface water can be much warmer than deep water. Ocean thermal energy conversion otec is a way of getting useful energy from the world s oceans the sun shines on the oceans of the world and in the hot parts near the equator the water at the sea s surface can be quite warm sometimes as high as 30 c. Many oceans are very deep and the water at depths of 1 000 meters can be around 5 c.

The energy is gained from the different temperature in the ocean. Ocean thermal energy conversion otec uses the temperature difference that exists between deep and shallow ocean water to run a heat engine. The difference in temperature between the surface and the lower water layer can be as large as 50 c 90 f over vertical.