Design considerations for ocean energy resource systems

The oceans occupy nearly three-quarters of the Earth´s surface and represent an enormous source of renewable energy. While many of the world´s industrialized nations have conducted exploratory research and development, the total power currently available from ocean energy systems, with the exception of the French tidal power plant, is less than one hundred megawatts (MW). An increasing number of ocean energy conversion systems are approaching an acceptable stage of development for commercial utilization. This paper considers the factors which are the most important in the design and development of ocean energy resource systems. Sources of renewable energy in the marine environment include tides, waves, currents, and thermal gradients. The challenge is to balance the energy resource potential with sources of environmental loading, which are applicable to a specific site, in the most logical and coherent manner possible, in order to make wise choices regarding site selection and system design