A Review on Ocean Energy Power Generation Technologies
Oceantidal currents, water waves and thermal gradients are a great source of renewable energy. Oceans cover almost 71 % surface of earth. Waves carry enormous amount of energy within them. Tides generated due to gravitational force between earth and moon and partly between earth and sun help in gene...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
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SMART MOVES
2017
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| Online Access: | https://ijoscience.com/index.php/ojsscience/article/view/33 https://doi.org/10.24113/ijoscience.v3i7.33 |
| Summary: | Oceantidal currents, water waves and thermal gradients are a great source of renewable energy. Oceans cover almost 71 % surface of earth. Waves carry enormous amount of energy within them. Tides generated due to gravitational force between earth and moon and partly between earth and sun help in generating high heads of water to harness pollution free energy. Due to high cost of generation and lack of enough research, this sustainable source of energy has not been fully exploited yet. Although the technology used in harnessing marine energy is considered as a threat to aquatic life, but suitable methods and focused research in this area can lead to take advantage of this abundant source of renewable energy. Ocean tidal, osmotic, wave and thermal sources have annual potentials of 800, 2,000, 8000–80,000 and 10,000– 87,600 TWh, which are more than global 16,000 TWh/y electricity demand. Ocean wave generators produce relatively lower output, however, four to eleven meters tidal range stations have large power generation capacities. Abundant ocean heat energy potentially harvested using ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) devices and ocean thermo-electric generators (OTEG). Tidal stations may be tidal range or current types, but a wave energy converter (WEC) may be an oscillating water column (OWC), overtopping, heaving, pitching and surging devices. Ocean thermal energy can be harnessed by open, close Rankine cycles, thermo-electric generators and osmotic power plants. Large bays like Turnagain (USA), Annapolis/Minas Passage (Canada), Seven Barrages/Pentland Firth (UK), La Rance (France), Garorim (South Korea) and Mezen/Penzhin (Russia) have huge tidal current power generation capacities. Power Potential from tidal current stations is more than WEC devices which in turn is more than osmotic, OTEC and OTEG technologies. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art of tidal, wave, OTEC and OTEG ocean energy technologies. |
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