Solar Energy: Review of Potential Green & Clean Energy for Coastal and Offshore Applications

Abstract

World appetite for energy and mineral resources seems insatiable. The study reveals that the natural reserve of fossil fuels represent 150 years (coal), 58 years (natural gas) and almost 46 years (oil) of consumption at current rates. The Ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and full of abundant esoteric resources. This blue economy attracting greater interest for harnessing the ocean wealth. Energy Intensity (EI) for Ocean trades activity e.g. Extraction of Oil & Gas, Shipping, Fisheries, and Ocean Mining for Excavation of massive Sulphides, Manganese Nodules, Cobalt Crust and Methane Hydrates reviewed. Most of the offshore energy requirement is for fuel, cooking, maintaining comfort condition, recreation, preservation of commodity, distillation etc. Use of high grade energy viz. electricity through conversion into low grade energy such as water heating, distillation, cooling is not advantageous when abundant low grade energy is capable to do so efficiently. Solar PV/T technology can cater the offshore energy requirement substantially. However Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) of Solar per kWh is more than that of any other renewable energy, but mobility, portability and feasibility of offshore installations are the key factors which dominate amongst the renewable energy sources. In the present paper various offshore energy applications are explored and potential of solar energy to substitute conventional oil and gas fuels for these applications are explained. Marine pollution on account of use of fossil fuel and its devastating consequences on sea creatures also reviewed.