It's a form of energy that's been around for a century, doesn't emit carbon dioxide and won't run out. But will Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) really work?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has given Lockheed Martin two grants totaling $1 million to begin to look at ways to generate electricity from the clash that occurs when chilly water from 2,000 feet below the ocean surface comes in contact with surface water.
With a sufficient temperature difference (~40° F) between the warm upper layer and the cold deep water, net power (power generated after subtracting the power needed to run the system) can be produced. Some semiconductor startups perform a similar trick on land with the Seebeck Effect, i.e., generating power from the temperature difference between a steam pipe and the outside air. At MIT, some scientists even hope to harvest power, via the Seebeck Effect, through body heat. Armpits won't replace nuclear plants but it could possibly replenish batteries.
To read the full, original article click on this link: The Third Form of Ocean Power : Greentech Media
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