Energy source:Ocean/Marine energy

Classification Renewable:WHY? Energy produced by waves, tides, currents

Infinite and renewable source of energy = oceans / seasEnergy produced by motion / movement

Wave power + tidal power

4 different forms of ocean’s energy

a) Osmotic power:

One positive pole and one negative pole:

One in the ocean One in a nearby river

The difference of salinity creates a flow of water which will power a turbine generating electricity.

b) Ocean thermal energy conversion:

Hot water from the surface of the ocean, heated by the sun, pressurized in order to create steam.

Steam activating a turbine, generating electricity.

Steam cooled by cold deep ocean water reusable as drinking water: no salt.

The energy produced by the waves lights the light bulb.

c) Tidal streams generator:

Axial turbines Tide movement spinning the

turbine → Producing electricity

d) Wave power/Floating offshore machine:

Wave movement Movement of the floaters creating

energy

Major players OES: Ocean Energy Systems One of the major intergovernmental associations, which deals with

marine energy. Responsible for major technological advancements in the field of marine

energy: o the oscilla power project in Americao the jiangxia tidal power plant in Chinao the crestwing project in Denmark

OEE: Ocean Energy Europe Association of >100 companies: bluewater, EDF, SIEMENS…

DTOcean project: European collaborative project aiming at accelerating the industrial

development of ocean energy power generation knowledge, and providing design tools for deploying the first generation of wave and tidal energy converter arrays.

o Eleven countries of the European Union such as: France, UK and Ireland.

Availability Infinite reserves: Ocean Enormous source of energy

0.1% of the energy of waves = supply the whole world 5x

Map of the location of main centrals of marine energy : http://www.ocean-energy-systems.org/ocean-energy-in-the-world/gis-

map/

The World’s leading producers of Ocean energy: UK government: research program for marine energy = very effective

(see map) Main members of the OES: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China,

Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korean, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Singapore,

South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United StatesConsumption Still in development

Not available worldwide nor commercially used

Main areas of research World scale : USA + Europe + East Asia

European scale : UK + Netherlands + France:

For example:

FEM: France Energies Marines: Association leading researches in the field of marine energy. 5 prototypes ocean energy stations in France:

Brehat station: uses tidal stream energy Golfe de Fos: Floating offshore Groix station: Floating offshore + Wind Le Croisic: Wave + Wind Bordeaux: Estuary tidal stream

Sustainability Appropriate technology? = not really

Producing energy with this technology = very expensive + not easily accessible. Technology in development = research very expensive Not very efficient for its cost Heavy infrastructures

Dig holes under the sea Install the turbines in the holes Install the alternators to transform the movement produced by the

turbines. Install cables under the water

Example: The Dalupiri project (large ocean energy system)

Estimated to cost 2.6 billion € Producing 2,200 megawatts at tidal peak Offset 6.5 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. Efficency limited

o To see how efficient or inefficient this project is, we calculate the price of 1W.h. (E= efficiency)

E= 2600000000€2200000000×365×24W .h

≈0,00015 €/W.h

o Compared to an average coal plant, which has an efficiency of 0,00005 €/W.h.

Sources Ocean Energy Europe web site European commission web site Ocean Energy Systems web site France Energy Marines web site