Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: Resource and Environmental Issues

The Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) concept is a vital part of the U.S. Department of Energy´s Ocean Energy Program which is directed toward making a significant contribution to National goals of energy independence. The The Environmental and Resource Assessment Program has the responsibility to insure that the appropriate research for continued OTEC development is conducted in a timely manner for all potential OTEC sites. This research program must determine, as best possible, the impact of OTEC plants on the environment and conversely, the impact of the environment on OTEC plants. In this regards,four major areas of study have been identified for the orderly and timely development of the OTEC program. They are: (1) the OTEC thermal resource including it´s availability, variability and dispersion, (2) the ocean engineering data for OTEC vessel design and supporting operations, (3) the bio-ecological and chemical impacts re-resulting from sea water redistribution, mixing and biocide contamination, (4) and compliance with all federal, state and local regulations. The above issues have many inter-related problems and when these are combined with the near absence of any historical precedence, provide an unique challenge for future development of the oceans in the 1980´s.