Renewable energy from the ocean

Abstract

Growing concern over the threat of global climate change has led to an increased interest in research and development of renewable energy technologies.The ocean provides a vast source of potential energy resources, and as renewable energy technology develops, investment in ocean energy is likely to grow.Research in ocean thermal energy conversion, wave energy, tidal energy, and offshore wind energy has led to promising technologies and in some cases, commercial deployment.These sources have the potential to help alleviate the global climate change threat, but the ocean environment should be protected while these technologies are developed.Renewable energy sources from the ocean may be exploited without harming the marine environment if projects are sited and scaled appropriately and environmental guidelines are followed. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.All rights reserved.