future direction
conclusion
New methods for development are being considered in an effort to reduce the cost of OTEC plant installation. For instance, Straatman and van Sark from the University of Utrecht created a hybrid version of OTEC with an offshore solar pond that generated a sufficient amount of electricity. Using low-cost materials and natural substances, they were able to drastically lower the cost of constructing an OTEC plant. Furthermore, Straatman and van Sark’s research, along with other studies on lowering the price of OTEC plants, demonstrated OTEC’s potential to become a major energy generator. The financial feasibility of OTEC is still solidifying as researchers are developing the technology, but companies such as Offshore Infrastructure Associates, Inc. (OIA) ensure that the price of electricity from OTEC will become more stable with further developments [6]. In addition to improving the financial drawbacks of OTEC, OTEC developers should make an effort to educate others on the numerous benefits that OTEC provides. Leaders in this field should improve international summits to plan how to commercialize the technology. In fact, OTE Corporation, a major supporter of OTEC, was invited to the second World Ocean Power Summit in 2015. Their participation was notable not only because it showed that global environmental leaders acknowledge the potential of OTEC, but also because it increased the awareness of the underdeveloped technology. Finally, there are still many technological difficulties that OTEC developers will need to solve. For example, the developers still need to discover an effective way to prevent ammonia leakage from the pipes, adjust to the differing ocean temperatures, and combat natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis.
It is crucial to turn to renewable energy sources such as OTEC to devise long-run solutions to combat the world’s environmental problems. As the human population continues to grow exponentially, the reality is that nonrenewable resources cannot sustain the world’s energy needs. If OTEC becomes a widely adopted technology, it will also assist with desalination, air conditioning, aquaculture, and coldwater agriculture. Ultimately, increased interest and successful pilot plants will only garner greater attention in the future.
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references [1] OTEC History. OTEC International, LLC. http://www. oteci.com/otec-at-work/test-page/. Accessed August 08, 2017. [2] Vega LA. Ocean thermal energy conversion. Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. 1st ed. Springer-Verlag; 2012:7296-7328. [3] Kempener R, Neumann F. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Technology Brief. IRENA. 2014. http://www. irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/Ocean_ Thermal_Energy_V4_web.pdf. Accessed August 24, 2017. [4] Finney KA. Ocean thermal energy conversion. Guelph Engineering Journal. 2008; (1):17-23. [5] Masutani SM, Takahashi PK. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences. 2001:19931999. doi:10.1006/rwos.2001.0031. [6] Isaka M, Mofor L, Wade H. Renewable energy opportunities and challenges in Nauru. IRENA. 2013:1-16. https://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/ Nauru.pdf. Accessed August 20, 2017.