Ocean Current Energy

The relatively constant flow of

ocean currents carries large
amounts of water across the
earths oceans. Technologies are
being developed so that energy
that can be extracted from ocean
currents and converted to usable
power.

Sea Surface Temperatures show the Gulf

Stream Current. This current carries warm
water, shown in red, from the sunny tropics
to higher latitudes of the British Isles.
(Source: NOAA)

Ocean waters are constantly on the

move.Ocean currents flow in
complex patterns affected by wind, water salinity, temperature,
topography of the ocean floor, and the earth's rotation. Most
ocean currents are driven by wind and solar heating of surface
waters near the equator, while some currents result from density
and salinity variations of the water column. Ocean currents are
relatively constant and flow in one direction, in contrast to tidal
currents along the shore.
While ocean currents move slowly relative to typical wind speeds,
they carry a great deal of energy because of the density of water.
Water is more than 800 times denser than air. So for the same
surface area, water moving 12 miles per hour exerts the same
amount of force as a constant 110 mph wind. Because of this
physical property, ocean currents contain an enormous amount of
energy that can be captured and converted to a usable form. It
has been estimated that taking just 1/1000th the available energy
from the Gulf Stream would supply Florida with 35% of its
electrical needs.

Major Ocean Surface Currents (Source: NOAA)

Artist rendering of ocean current turbines.

Ocean Current Energy Technologies

The United States and other countries are pursuing ocean current
energy; however, marine current energy is at an early stage of
development. Relative to wind, wave, and tidal resources, the
energy resource potential for ocean current power is the least
understood, and its technology is the least mature. There are no
commercial grid-connected turbines currently operating, and only
a small number of prototypes and demonstration units have been
tested. More advanced technologies have been developed for
use with tidal currents in near-shore environments.
There are a number of different current technology concepts
under development. Prototype horizontal axis turbines, similar to
wind turbines, have been built and tested, and over the next 5 to
7 years would be the most likely commercial development
scenario.

Although ocean current technology is still in its early stages of

development, several tidal and in-stream current turbine
applications are near commercialization. These devices take
advantage of the daily tidal cycles in near-shore ocean
environments, or steady water flow from freshwater rivers.

Open Hydro system used for harnessing

tidal energy.

Seagen,the world's first commercial tidal

energy turbine.

Technical Challenges
For ocean current energy to be utilized successfully at a
commercial scale, a number of engineering and technical
challenges need to be addressed, including:

avoidance of cavitations (bubble formation);

prevention of marine growth buildup;
reliability (since maintenance costs are potentially high); and
corrosion resistance.

Because the logistics of maintenance are likely to be complex

and the costs potentially high, system reliability is of particular
importance. At present no open-ocean current turbines are

deployed in U.S. watersthis technology is truly in its infancy.

However, there is interest in testing prototype turbines in U.S.
waters in the near future, particularly off the coast of Florida.
Environmental Considerations
OIn 2007, the Bureau published the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement for Alternative Energy Development and Production
and Alternate Use of Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf. This
document examines the potential environmental impacts related to renewable
energy development on the OCS for each phase of development (technology
testing, site characterization, construction, operation, and decommissioning).
Actual proposals will be evaluated in project-specific analyses under the National
Environmental Policy Act. Additional information regarding potential
environmental impacts from current energy development can be found in the
U.S. Department of Energy Report Report to Congress on the Potential
Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Technologies
and at the Ocean Energy Systems Annex IV webpage.

For More Information

Download the Technology White Paper on Ocean Current Energy Potential

on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Database
provides up-to-date information on marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy,
both in the U.S. and around the world.The database includes information on ocean
current energy projects and can be accessed here.