OCEAN

THERMAL
ENERGY
CONVERSION
What is OTEC
• OTEC, or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, is an energy technology
that converts solar radiation to electric power.
• OTEC systems use the ocean's natural thermal gradient—the fact that
the ocean's layers of water have different temperatures—to drive a
power-producing cycle.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE

OTEC utilizes the

ocean’s 20ºC natural
thermal gradient
between the warm
surface water and the
cold deep sea
water(around 1 Km.)
to drive a Rankine
Cycle
Advantages
i. Eco- friendly
ii.Minimal maintenance costs compared to other power production plants
iii.
Provide air conditioning to buildings within the OTEC plant
iv.Fresh water - first by-product is fresh water. A small 1 MW OTEC is capable of producing some
4,500 cubic meters of fresh water per day, enough to supply a population of 20,000 with fresh
water
v. Open cycle OTEC systems can produce desalinated water which is very important in third-world
countries
Disadvantages
i. OTEC-produced electricity at present would cost more than electricity generated from fossil
fuels at their current costs.
ii. OTEC plants must be located where a difference of about 20º C occurs year round. Ocean
depths must be available fairly close to shore-based facilities for economic aspect.
iii. No energy company will put money in this project because it only had been tested in a very
small scale.
iv. Construction of OTEC plants and lying of pipes in coastal waters may cause localized damage to
reefs and near-shore marine ecosystems.
Other uses for OTEC plants
• Generate Hydrogen for use as a clean fuel source.
• Generate fertilizer from biological nutrients that are drawn up from
the ocean floor in the cold water intake.
• Source of ocean water to be used as drinking water via desalination
(taking out the salt).
OTEC
OPEN
CYCLE
(Clau
de
Cycle)
OTEC
CLOSE
CYCLE
(Ande
rson
Cycle)
OTEC
CLOSE
CYCLE
OTEC Plant
on Keahole
Point, Hawaii