Dossier Océan et énergie - Énergie Thermique des Mers

The whole IOA community is following with great interest the progress made by India¡¦s NIOT to build and operate a 1MW OTEC floating plant (see IOA Newsletter Vol.11 Summer 2000).

Interesting information comes from the announcement by NIOT for the order from InterOcean (USA) for a large acoustic release and a 175t mooring line swivel. This equipment is claimed to be provided for NIOT¡¦s 72m OTEC barge to be attached to the single mooring comprising the 1 m diameter and 1000 m long cold water pipe. The information comes from a press release (see International Ocean Systems March 2001 page 32-33).

The acoustic release is rated for high-load releases with an ultimate load of 5OO t and safe working load of 170 t. It can be activated at ranges up to 10 km. It has double redundancy, two-way communication, and back-up rove activation.

The NIOT experimental plant is intended to demonstrate OTEC capability to generate power and other DOWA to island communities. This Indian project, undertaken with the assistance of the OTEC team of Saga University, will certainly mark a milestone in the history of OTEC technology. The IOA wishes great success to this enterprise that could be decisive for OTEC industrial development.

Oceansp@ce reported in its May 1 issue ( http://www.oceanspace.net/ )on the signing of an agreement between Palau and Saga University to "promote technological cooperation and research exchanges for a promising power-generation method using ocean temperature differentials." According to the report, the agreement was signed on April 20,2001 at Sage University between Palau's President Tommy Renengesau and the University's President Nobumichi Sako. Saga University also honored President Remengeasu and former Palau President Kuniwo Nakamura for their contribution to research in this power generation area. Under the cooperative agreement with Palau, Saga University Plants to build an OTEC plant in Palau.

Saga University has been doing research on ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) since 1973. In 1979, Saga conducted OTEC power generation experiments off Shimane, the first experiments of this type in Japan. Saga continued it pioneering efforts on OTEC with the completion, in March of 1980, of an experimental OTEC power plant in lmari City, the first facility in Japan.

Eur-seas Enginggering Services and Testing (EEST) recently announced the creation of Europe's largest commercial wave power technology development center. The center, located in the Port of Blyth on the northeast of England, is adjiacent of the United Kingdom's first offshore wind farm. EEST will be purchasing the largest wave generator in the UK that will be installed in a converted dry dock basin. Waves up to 1m high at 0.25 to 0.3s frequencies can be generated in one of the longest and deepest 3D wave tanks in the world. With the planned demonlition of the tank at Edinburgh, this new facility is important for continuing reaearch in areas such as large-scale marine engineering research, development of flood defenses and renewable energy devices, investigating scouring damage on birdge structures,and testing of offshore power generation system. For further information, contact Ken Bruce, General Manager, EEST, email ken.bruce@eest.co.uk, telephone +01670 798029