Companies Generating Electricity from Deep Sea Water
The deep ocean is a vast and untapped source of renewable energy. It contains strong currents, tides, and waves that can be used to generate electricity. Several companies are developing technologies to harness this energy, and some have already begun commercial operations.
Here are a few of the companies that are leading the way in generating electricity from deep sea water:
- IHI Corporation (Japan): IHI Corporation is a heavy machinery manufacturer that has developed a prototype turbine called Kairyu that can generate electricity from deep ocean currents. The Kairyu turbine is anchored to the seabed and floats at a depth of 100 to 160 feet below the surface, where it captures the energy of strong currents. In 2022, IHI Corporation successfully tested a 100-kilowatt prototype of the Kairyu turbine. The company is now working to scale up the technology for commercial deployment.
- Orbital Marine Power (United Kingdom): Orbital Marine Power is a company that develops and operates tidal energy turbines. The company's O2 turbine is the most powerful tidal turbine in the world, and it is currently generating electricity off the coast of Scotland. The O2 turbine is a floating turbine that is anchored to the seabed. It has two 60-meter rotors that spin in the tidal currents, generating electricity.
- Marine Current Turbines (United Kingdom): Marine Current Turbines is a company that develops and operates tidal energy turbines. The company's SeaGen turbine is the first commercial tidal energy turbine in the world. The SeaGen turbine is a seabed-mounted turbine that has two 16-meter rotors. It is currently generating electricity off the coast of Northern Ireland.
- Ocean Power Technologies (United Kingdom): Ocean Power Technologies is a company that develops and operates wave energy converters. The company's PowerBuoy device is a floating buoy that is anchored to the seabed. It has a piston that moves up and down as the waves pass over it, generating electricity. Ocean Power Technologies has deployed PowerBuoys in several locations around the world, including the United States, Europe, and Australia.
- Bombora Wave Power (Australia): Bombora Wave Power is a company that develops and operates wave energy converters. The company's mWave device is a seabed-mounted device that has a series of inflatable membranes that move up and down as the waves pass over them, generating electricity. Bombora Wave Power has deployed mWave devices in several locations around the world, including Australia and Europe.
Technology Used to Generate Electricity from Deep Sea Water
The companies listed above are using a variety of technologies to generate electricity from deep sea water. The most common technologies are:
- Tidal energy turbines: Tidal energy turbines are similar to wind turbines, but instead of using wind to spin their blades, they use the kinetic energy of tidal currents. Tidal energy turbines can be either seabed-mounted or floating.
- Wave energy converters: Wave energy converters capture the energy of waves and convert it into electricity. There are a variety of different wave energy converter technologies, but they all work by converting the motion of the waves into mechanical energy, which is then used to generate electricity.
- Deep ocean current turbines: Deep ocean current turbines are similar to tidal energy turbines, but they are designed to operate in the deep ocean, where currents are stronger and more consistent. Deep ocean current turbines are still in the early stages of development, but they have the potential to be a major source of renewable energy in the future.
Benefits of Generating Electricity from Deep Sea Water
There are several benefits to generating electricity from deep sea water. One benefit is that it is a renewable source of energy. This means that it does not produce greenhouse gases or other pollutants, which can contribute to climate change. Another benefit is that deep sea water energy is available 24/7, regardless of weather conditions. This makes it a reliable source of baseload power.
Challenges of Generating Electricity from Deep Sea Water
There are also some challenges to generating electricity from deep sea water. One challenge is that the cost of developing and deploying deep sea water energy technologies is high. Another challenge is that deep sea water energy technologies are still in their early stages of development, and there are some technical challenges that need to be overcome.
Conclusion
Generating electricity from deep sea water is a promising new technology with the potential to make a significant contribution to the global energy mix. Several companies are developing technologies to harness this energy, and some have already begun commercial operations. While there are some challenges that need to be overcome, the potential benefits of deep sea water energy are significant.