Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is an idea for energy production that dates back to the 1800's. From The Economist, the first OTEC power plant was built "in 1930 at Matanzas Bay, just across the Florida straits from the Bahamas, in Cuba. That successfully produced 22kW, though it was eventually destroyed by wind and waves. A mere eight decades later, the technology may at last come to fruition."
The latest commercial implementation is in the Bahamas, as described in the title link from the Nassau Guardian.
OTEC technology utilizes the heat difference between warm surface waters, and much cooler deep ocean waters to power a "heat engine" to produce electricity. Key requirements are surface water temps of +25 deg C and nearby deep water (+1,000 ft) available for cooling. The motive chemical used is usually ammonia. The warm surface waters boil the ammonia, it passes through turbines to produce electricity, and then the cool deep waters condense it to be recycled back through the "heat engine" process.
The latest commercial implementation is in the Bahamas, as described in the title link from the Nassau Guardian.
OTEC technology utilizes the heat difference between warm surface waters, and much cooler deep ocean waters to power a "heat engine" to produce electricity. Key requirements are surface water temps of +25 deg C and nearby deep water (+1,000 ft) available for cooling. The motive chemical used is usually ammonia. The warm surface waters boil the ammonia, it passes through turbines to produce electricity, and then the cool deep waters condense it to be recycled back through the "heat engine" process.
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