Ocean Energy
Classification / Renewable
- based on natural renewable natural source: produced with the power of the ocean’s water, the sun, and the wind.
- two types of energy: thermal energy and mechanical energy:
- thermal energy: created by the temperature difference between the surface water, warmed by the sun’s heat, and the deep ocean water.
- mechanical energy: created by tides, driven by the gravitational pull of the moon, and waves, driven by the winds, energy collected with mechanical devices.
- ocean = largest powerhouse
- oceans covering70% of the earth’s surface
- energy renewed and available 24/7.
Power Generation Platform
Players / Leading countries:
- Europe: UK, Portugal
- America: USA, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Mexico
- Oceania/ Asia: Australia, New Zealand/ South Korea
Annual average wave power in KW per meter for European locations.
Leading companies:
- Europe: Alstom (developing tidal stream turbine technology), France
- US: Verdant Power,Pelamis Wave Power,Ocean Power Technologies
Organisations/ Associations:
- International Energy Agency: ( )
- Renewable Energy Industry: ( )
- Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition: ( )
- Ocean Energy Europe (based in Brussels): ( )
Availability / World’s leading producers:
- UK, Portugal and South Korea.
Best locations for thermal energy:OTEC= ocean thermal energy conversion
( )
The zone where thermal energy could be collected most is at the equator, because of the biggest temperature differences there.
Best location for mechanical energy (waves and tides) :
The figures above indicate potential power available in kilowatts per meter in different places around the world. It is mostly found on the East and West coasts of America, and on the West and North coast in Europe.
Use of hydroelectric power by continents:
Advantages / - Renewable, never-ending.
- : this energy will never run out, waves and tides will always exist and are not limited, it is a natural resource.
- :oceans represent 71% of the Earth’s surface, therefore long lasting and never-ending
- :Wave power doesn’t cause any earth damage because it is located in the oceans. It is safe and clean.
- When being in the ocean, the machines stay silent for the populations in the cities near the coast.
- : unlike fossil fuels, creating power from waves creates no harmful byproducts such as gas, waste, and pollution.
- : like shown on the maps, waves are found near the coasts where a lot of cities are located, therefore they can use the produced energy easily.
- Diagram of the thermal energy collecting process:
- Ocean energy could be collected through waves, tides, or temperature changes, with a lot of equipments, and consequently create a lot of energy. The theoretical potential is equivalent to 4-18 million ToE(tonne of oil equivalent).
Disadvantages / - environmental effects
- : it has an effect of the marine ecosystem: the machines disturb the creatures living at the seafloor (crabs and starfish) and could make noise disturbing the creatures in the water.
- The machines are large and working in the middle of the ocean and this could destroy the beauty of the ocean
- : some countries are landlocked and therefore don’t have direct access to the ocean energy
- The machines used to collect the energy from the waves do not function in rough waters and need the wave to be a certain length to function.
- : can’t be used in frozen sea, straight shorelines, low waves and tides
- Usually the places where tidal energy is produced are far away from the places where it is consumed. This transmission is expensive and difficult. : capital cost of over $40 billion
10 / 4,200 / 0.07
50 / 5,000 / 0.08
100 / 6,000 / 0.10
200 / 8,100 / 0.13
300 / 10,200 / 0.17
400 / 12,300 / 0.22
- : ocean power generation can cost more than $400 per MWH compared to other renewable energy sources, that cost about $150 per MWH.