Global map of OTEC plants comes to light

Status of OTEC power plants, May 2017 (Photo: OES)

 
Ocean Energy Systems (OES) has published a map that shows the present status and plans for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) projects worldwide as part of its OTEC working program.

The map, complied in May 2017, was delivered as part of OES’ OTEC working program being developed by 8 OES-member countries, including Japan, China, Korea, India, France, the Netherlands, Singapore and Monaco.

The goal of the working group is to study and understand the OTEC potential and status around the globe, and the overall work is being led by Japan.

The map, created by Korea, identifies plans and new developments on OTEC in the various regions of the world, which is considered to be important for the development of a future roadmap which is one of the goals of OES OTEC program.

Another group within OES focused on OTEC is being led by China with the goal of producing a state-of-the art report of OTEC activities and projects around the globe.

The report is expected to be the first step towards defining full working program under OES Task 11, dedicated to OTEC.

OTEC is a process that produces electricity by using the temperature difference between deep cold ocean water and warm tropical surface waters.

OES, also known as the Technology Collaboration Program on Ocean Energy Systems, is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries operating under a framework established by the International Energy Agency in Paris, with the aim to advance research, development and demonstration of conversion technologies that harness energy from all forms of ocean renewable resources.