Ocean Thermal Energy (OTE)

Sea Solar Power uses the basic technology known as Ocean Thermal Energy (OTE), or sometimes Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), which was invented in 1881 by a French scientist years ahead of his time by the name of Jacque Arsene D'Arsonval. Before describing the mechanics of the system, let's first understand the natural resource and its potential.

The ocean covers most of the earth's surface. More than 300 times what the world now consumes in electricity is available from the solar energy that is constantly stored in the upper layers of the tropical ocean. This takes place throughout the equatorial zone around the world or about 20 degrees north and south of the equator - where most of the world's population lives. This area is also where the greatest increase in demand for new power exists, because population growth is greater in this region and where the standard of living has been rather low, and now more people with more wealth are demanding more electricity.

Man-made solar collectors are very expensive to build, require enormous amounts of acreage and do not work at night when advanced societies require electricity around the clock. Contrary to this is the ocean, the largest solar collector in the world. It is already there so to tap its riches is most prudent. The modern day term to describe this process is OTE or OTEC.

To operate a sea solar power plant involves both a heat source and a heat sink. Therefore, the 80 degrees F surface water in the tropical oceans serves as the heat source and typically 3,000 feet below the surface is the heat sink or the cold bottom water, which is 40 degrees F. This temperature difference or delta T is sufficient to operate vapor turbines, which drive generators and produces electricity and fresh water as a byproduct. This is the OTE concept.

But while it is true that the ocean's free seawater can supply an infinite amount of energy and produce electricity for most of the world's population, the technical challenge is to design an OTE plant that is economically efficient or at a reasonable capital cost. Sea Solar Power has designed a process that can do just that.