Hawaii ideal for ocean-based renewable energy plants

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) involves placing a heat engine between warm water collected at the ocean’s surface and cold water pumped from the deep ocean. Like a ball rolling downhill, heat flows from the warm reservoir to the cool one. The greater the temperature difference, the stronger the flow of heat that can be used to do useful work such as spinning a turbine and generating electricity. Researchers say that the temperature differential is around one degree Celcius greater on the leeward side of Hawaiian islands it is better suited for future ocean-based OTEC energy plants.

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