ibid: Technical Limitations
[Note: The theoretical maximum OTEC efficiency is about 8%,
but for various practical reasons 3% is more typical.]
Objections to OTEC are centered on it's energy efficiency without regard to
the pure water " byproduct. " That's like saying Solar is less efficient than
Diesel, disregarding the cost of fuel!
Reference Facts and Papers
1. Average absorbed = 400 cal/cm2/da (Knauss, p. 28) = 194 W/m2. Ocean surface
area = 3.35328 x 10 14 m2, so average total absorbed = 6.5 x 10 16 watts. Alternatively,
this comes to 5.7 x 10 17 kW-hr/yr. From WorldWatch 1997 data, human energy
consumption is about 1.07 x 1014 kW-hr/yr, so the annual solar input is about 5,330 times the
annual consumption. The ocean surface area = 129,400,000 sq. mi., so the average
input is 5.023 x 108 watts/sq. mi. (~500 MW/sq. mi.). This is equivalent to 4.4. billion
kW-hr/yr, or 2.59 MBOE.
2. Penney, T. and T.H. Daniel. 1989. Energy from the Ocean: A resource for the
future, Science and Future: 1989 Year Book, Encyclopedia Britannica, Chicago, 1998,
p. 98-111.
3. Avery W.H. and C. Wu. 1994. Renewable Energy from the Ocean: A guide to
OTEC, Oxford U. Press, p. 446.
4. Cohen R. 1982. Energy from the Ocean, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal
Society of London; Series A: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 307, No. 1499,
p. 405-437.
5. D'Arsonval, A. 1881. Utilisation de forces naturelles: Avenir de l'electricite, Revue
Scientifique, Vol. 17, p. 370.
6. Larsen-Basse, J. and T.H. Daniel. 1983. OTEC Heat Transfer Experiments at
Keahole Point, Hawaii, 1982-83, Proc. Oceans '83, San Francisco, CA, August 1983,
p. 741-745.
7. Owens, W.L. and Trimble, L.C. 1980. Mini-OTEC Operational Results, Proceedings:
Seventh Ocean Energy Conference, Washington, D.C., p. 14.1:1-9.
8. Claude, G. 1930. Power from the Tropical Seas, Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 52,
p. 1039.
9. Parson, B.K., D. Bharathan, and J.A. Althof. 1985. Thermodynamic Systems Analysis
of Open-Cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), SERI TR-252-2234, Golden,
CO, Solar Energy Research Institute.
10. Vega, L. and D.E. Evans. 1994. Operation of Small Open Cycle OTEC Experimental
Facility, Proceedings of Oceanology, International 94, Vol. 5, Brighton, United Kingdom.
11. Daniel, T.H. 1999. A Brief History of OTEC Research at NELHA, Natural Energy
Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.
12. Ridgway, S.L. 1984. Projected Capital Costs of a Mist Lift OTEC Power Plant,
Presented at ASME Winter Meeting, New Orleans, December, 1984.
13. Lee, C.K.B. and S.L. Ridgway. 1983. Vapor/Droplet Coupling and the Mist Flow
(OTEC) Cycle, J. Solar Energy Engineering, V. 105, p. 181.
14. Solar Energy Research Institute. 1989. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: An overview,
SERI/SP-220-3024. Golden, CO, Solar Energy Research Institute, p. 36.
15. U.S. Department of Energy. 1990. The Potential of Renewable Energy: An interlaboratory
white paper, SERI/TP-260-3674.
16. Baird, M. and D. Hayhoe. 1993. Energy Fact Sheet, The International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) information.
17. Daniel, T.H. 1985. Aquaculture Using Cold OTEC Water, Oceans '85 Conference Record,
November 12-14, San Diego, CA. Sponsored by Marine Technology Society & IEEE Oceanic
Engineering Society.
18. Van Ryzin, J.R. and T. Leraand. 1992. Air Conditioning with Deep Seawater: A cost-
Effective Alternative, Sea Technology Magazine, September, p. 37.
19. Cornell University Lake Source Cooling (LSC) project, Humphreys Service Building,
Ithaca, NY.
20. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, What is Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion,
(see [14] as primary source document used to create the content).
21. Daniel, T.H. 1993. An Overview of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion and its Potential
By-Products, in Recent Advances in Marine Science and Tecnology, '92, PACON International,
1993, p. 263-272.
22. Vega, L.A. 2000. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), Energy, Resources, and
Technology Division, State of Hawaii, Department of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism
(DBEDT).
23. DiChristina, M. 1995. Sea Power, Popular Science, May issue, p. 70-73.
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