Ocean Energy Technology
Established renewable ocean energy projects can be divided into four categories:
Wind
Wind energy projects are designed to harness the energy potential of the earth’s ocean winds. At this time, all wind power facilities in the U.S. are located on land, however, multiple offshore projects have been proposed in recent years. Alternatively, Europe has several offshore wind farms. Existing offshore wind technologies are adaptations from onshore models that have been deployed in shallow waters between ten and twenty kilometers offshore. However, technology innovation is rapidly increasing the size and the distance from shore for future offshore wind projects.
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Nysted offshore wind farm (Denmark)
Source: Cape Wind Associates, LLC |
Barrow offshore wind farm (UK)
Source: Barrow Offshore Wind Limited |
Wave
Wave energy projects are designed to harness the energy potential of ocean waves by generating electricity from the undulating motion of the waves. The power in the moving wave may drive a turbine or other device directly or it may pressurize air or hydraulic fluid to power a generator. At present, there are multiple wave energy technologies in various phases of design and testing.
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PowerBuoy
Source: Ocean Power Technologies |
AquaBuOY
Source: Finavera Renewables |
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Oyster Wave Power System
Source: Aquamarine Power LTD |
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Wave Dragon
Source: Wave Dragon ApS |
Pelamis Wave Energy Converter
Source: Pelamis Wave Power LTD |
Current
Current energy projects are designed to harness the energy potential of the kinetic (free-flowing) force of moving water to spin a turbine or generator. At present, there are technologies in various phases of design and testing attempting to produce energy from tides, river currents, and ocean currents.
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ADCF Turbine
Source: Ocean Renewable Power Company, LLC |
Seaflow
Source: MCT Limited |
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Verdant Free Flow Turbine
Source: Verdant Power Inc. |
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is an energy technology that converts solar radiation to electric power. OTEC systems use the ocean's natural thermal gradient—the fact that the ocean's layers of water have different temperatures—to drive a power-producing cycle. As long as the temperature between the warm surface water and the cold deep water differs by about 20°C (36°F), an OTEC system can produce a significant amount of power. OTEC facilities can be designed to operate onshore or offshore.
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OTEC Diagram
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
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