Essay about Thermal and Tidal Ocean Energy - 1589 Words

The Oncoming Age of Ocean Energy: Thermal and Tidal With oil being depleted and people crying out in horror at the prices of energy society needs a new source of energy, the ocean. The ocean provides so much energy it can power up the world’s consumption of oil by ten fold by one day’s worth of storing. Currently there are two ways that are in practice: tidal and ocean thermal. But these two practices are in their infant stages and are in need of much funding. Isn’t the initial cost of sustaining such a project worth the bearing if one is learning that their source of energy is becoming bankrupt? Society and people now are feeling the addiction to oil as gas prices are going up. As gas prices in the US are now rising to the four-dollar†¦show more content†¦If less than one-tenth of one percent of this stored solar energy could be converted into electric power, it would supply more than 20 times the total amount of electricity consumed in the United States on any given day (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion). Imagine just a fraction of the oceans energy found just in temperature can be used to power the world. Some already have and such technologies have been created to suit the need to obtain this elusive power. However, huge turbines are needed to take and create the power from the temperature. These huge turbines can be used in different methods to Ocean Energy 3 collect the steam to power it such as these cycles: closed-cycle, open-cycle, and hybrid. The closed-cycle uses the sun’s rays on the open water to heat up a low boiling point mineral or element, such as ammonia. The ammonia, a working fluid, is then transformed into a gaseous state turning a turbine in a generator to provide the electricity to power up homes. Open-cycle systems actually boil the seawater by operating at low pressures. This produces steam that passes through a turbine/generator. And hybrid systems combine both closed-cycle and open-cycle systems (Ocean Energy Basics., 2006). These plants can be placed on inshore, off shore, and also out in the ocean. With this innovative dream such companies as OTEC have started to build a dream to build a ship with a large tube that extends deep into the ocean. This ship will have anShow MoreRelatedRenewable Energy Source Capable Of Solving The Current Energy Crisis1214 Words   |  5 Pagesalternative energy source capable of solving the current energy crisis. Some of the most popular forms are solar energy, wind energy, and nuclear energy. 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