Ocean Energy Technology Program

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Energy Ocean Energy Technology (DOE/ OET) Program was instituted to develop options for extracting and distributing significant amounts of ocean energy in a reliable, environmentally acceptable and cost-effective manner. Since it's inception in 1974, the program originally emphasized the identification of the most viable ocean energy options and determination of their resource potential. Ocean current devices, wave energy extraction techniques and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems were investigated. Because the OTEC projected energy extraction potential is one to two orders of magnitude greater than the other ocean energy options, 90% of ocean energy funding has gone to this area. The DOE role is in technology development and basic and applied research. Generally, engineering development activies fall within the domain of private industry. Both wave and current devices extract kinetic energy from the ocean using a variety of methods. Ocean thermal conversion uses the difference in temperature between surface waters heated by the sun and colder deep (up to 3000 feet) ocean waters. These two sinks provide a temperature difference of about <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">20\deg</tex> C in ocean areas between <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">\pm 20\deg</tex> of the equator. There are two power cycles under development in OTEC; open cycle and closed cycle. Open cycle uses sea water as the working fluid and dosed cycle uses ammonia or freon as the working fluid in a closed loop. The summary of OET Program activities during the period FY 1980 through FY 1983 represents the more significant findings of DOE-sponsored research and development in each of six program elements: Advanced Power Systems Development, Closed-Cycle Power Systems Development, Alternative Energy Systems Development, Environmental Research, Ocean Engineering, and Engineering Development. Although the FY 1984 program is still being formulated, twenty of the areas of uncertainty remaining to be resolved are listed and indicate the thrust of present planning.