The need to find new sources of energy to substitute the hydrocarbon fuel sources has led to identification and using of other opportunities to produce electricity even in small scales. One of these unlimited sources of energy is ocean energy. However, more that 70% of the earth surface is covered with oceans and seas, which provides a great amount of energy, which needs to be harvested. The oceans carry several types of energies, such as the power of the waves, salinity, tides, and the differences in ocean temperature.
Basically the oceans are great sources of kinetic energy which is produced by the movement of water, therefore, by harnessing this energy and transforming it into electricity an endless source of energy will be in the hands of humanity to satisfy all of its needs, such as energy needed for industries, transport, or powering homes. Meanwhile the marine energy carries all kinds of wave power, including the tidal power and surface waves power, which have an enormous kinetic power.
The other type of energy available in the oceans is its thermal energy, which could be used for several purposes such as generation of electricity. Open-cycle, closed-cycle, and hybrid, are the three types of systems used for conversion of thermal energy to electricity. In open-cycle system at a low pressure the see water is boiled and vaporized and in result the steam passes through a turbine or generator for production of electricity. In closed-cycle the a working fluid with low-boiling point, and by using the temperature of the surface water of the oceans is vaporized and the produced vapor passes through a turbine and generator. Liquids such as ammonia are usually used as the working liquid. In hybrid system a combination of both open and closed cycles is used.
Work Cited
"Ocean Energy." Ocean Energy. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Department of Energy, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
"Ocean Energy." Introduction to. 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
