Europe Unleashes Long-Forgotten Ocean Energy Source as 200-Year-Old Legend Sparks a New Green Power Revolution
into a viable power source. 💡 The concept of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) was first proposed in 1881 by French physicist Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval.
was first proposed in 1881 by French physicist Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval. 🌍 OTEC technology is particularly beneficial for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) , offering sustainable energy and water solutions.
, offering sustainable energy and water solutions. 📈 With technological advancements, Europe and Japan are scaling up OTEC projects, potentially making it a cost-effective energy source.
The dream of harnessing ocean energy has been a lingering idea for nearly two centuries. Initially proposed by visionaries, the concept of utilizing the ocean's thermal differences to generate electricity was long considered an unattainable goal. Today, however, this dream is becoming a reality, with Europe leading the charge in tapping the ocean's hidden energy reserves. By turning age-old aspirations into modern innovations, Europe is not only embracing cleaner energy but also paving the way for a sustainable future. This breakthrough marks a pivotal moment in the pursuit of renewable energy sources, setting the stage for global adoption. Contemplated Long Ago but Brought to Reality Now
In 1881, the French physicist Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval introduced the concept of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). He recognized the immense potential stored within the oceans, particularly the temperature difference between the warm surface waters and the colder depths. This temperature gradient, he proposed, could be harnessed to power turbines and generate electricity. Unfortunately, the idea was far ahead of its time, facing numerous challenges such as prohibitive costs and engineering hurdles, which stalled its early adoption.
'Fusion Reactors Were About to Explode': This Insane X-Point Radiator Hack Is Saving the Planet in Real Time
Fast forward to today, and OTEC is experiencing a resurgence, largely attributed to advancements in technology and a heightened focus on combating climate change. Notably, Global OTEC, a UK-based startup, is spearheading efforts to commercialize this technology. By 2025, they plan to launch the first-ever commercial-scale floating OTEC platform, named Dominique, in São Tomé and Príncipe. This platform aims to exploit the temperature gradient between surface-level water, around 79°F, and deeper ocean currents, approximately 39°F. Through a closed-cycle system, this gradient will vaporize a low-boiling-point fluid, such as ammonia, to drive turbines, eventually condensing back into liquid form with cold seawater. This cycle of vaporization and condensation generates power.
'Nuclear First Just Happened': World's Largest Stellarator Produces Helium-3 in Unprecedented Breakthrough That Could Power Future Civilizations Europe Tapping into Hidden Energy Sources
The principle of OTEC holds significant appeal for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including São Tomé and Príncipe, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Mauritius. These regions stand to benefit immensely from reduced reliance on diesel power and increased access to sustainable energy solutions. OTEC offers several advantages, such as enabling the production of green hydrogen through electrolysis powered by renewable electricity. It also facilitates the production of desalinated drinking water and utilizes cold seawater for air conditioning and refrigeration, enhancing both energy efficiency and water security.
'Mini Nuclear Breakthrough': China Activates World's First Compact Reactor to Deliver Clean Energy to Over Half a Million HomesPlant Set to Power Over Half a Million Homes in China
In addition to Europe, Japan is making strides in OTEC development, with plans to expand a 100-kW OTEC demonstration in Okinawa Prefecture to a 1-MW plant by 2026. These initiatives reflect the global momentum behind OTEC technology. Studies suggest that larger-scale OTEC plants could deliver electricity at $0.05 per kWh, comparable to other clean energy sources, thus emphasizing its economic viability. The Ocean as an Energy Source: The Myth Turned Real
For many years, the ocean's energy potential was acknowledged but not fully embraced due to technological constraints. The realization that the ocean can generate power independent of weather conditions is now gaining traction, providing additional benefits like enhanced water security. Europe's proactive stance in promoting OTEC technology underscores its leadership role in the global push for renewable energy. By transforming a vision from 1881 into a tangible reality, Europe is demonstrating how past scientific curiosity can be channeled into present-day innovations aimed at creating a sustainable future, one wave current at a time. The Road Ahead for Ocean Energy
As Europe and other regions continue to invest in ocean energy, the potential for a cleaner, greener future becomes increasingly feasible. OTEC technology not only offers an innovative approach to energy generation but also provides solutions to pressing issues like water scarcity and environmental degradation. The successful implementation of OTEC projects could inspire other nations to adopt similar strategies, fostering a global shift towards sustainable energy practices. The question now is: how can we further accelerate the adoption of ocean thermal energy conversion and ensure its benefits reach even the most remote corners of the world?
Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article.
Did you like it? 4.5/5 (30)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
an hour ago
- LeMonde
ChatGPT use significantly reduces brain activity, an MIT study finds
There are 800 million weekly users of ChatGPT worldwide − double the number from four months ago. But do we really know if using this artificial intelligence (AI) tool will have consequences on brain function? The answer is yes, according to neurotechnology specialists at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Under the direction of French researcher Nataliya Kosmyna, the team conducted a pioneering study on 54 volunteers aged 18 to 39 from around a dozen countries. Students and postdoctoral researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University and Wellesley College − all in the Boston area − were equipped with headsets that read their brain activity – specifically, the flows of information moving through different brain regions, observed by the Dynamic Direct Transfer Function (dDTF), which provides a more comprehensive picture than a standard electroencephalogram. They were asked on three occasions to write essays, either with or without ChatGPT, and later recall their work. Four months later, the 18 who agreed to return switched roles: Those who had used AI no longer did, and vice versa.
France 24
10 hours ago
- France 24
Climate change is changing the geography of infectious disease
Europe is unusually hot. Several cities in France have been placed on an 'unprecedented' high alert on Tuesday, Spain recorded a scorching high of 46 degrees Celsius on Monday while wildfires in Turkey caused by a heatwave have forced more than 50,000 people to be evacuated from five regions in the western province of Izmir. While the heat is uncharacteristically strong, extreme weather is no longer a surprise. Science agrees that climate change caused by steadily increasing greenhouse emissions has been the primary factor for the scorching new reality that the world is forced to adapt to, be it heatwaves, floods, droughts or extreme cold. While the cumulative meteorological changes might make life more difficult for people, bacteria, pathogens and viruses are thriving in a world that's getting hotter and more humid. Climate change is bringing 'tropical', climate sensitive illnesses up north, into Europe, shifting the geography of global infectious disease. The migration of disease 'Over half of all infectious diseases confronted by humanity worldwide have been at some point aggravated and even strengthened by climatic hazards,' says Dr Aleksandra Kazmierczak, an expert on the relationship between climate change and human health at the European Environment Agency (EEA). Kazmierczak says that climatic conditions have made Europe more suitable for vector and water borne disease. 'There is a northward, temporal shift because the current climate is more suitable for pathogens. Disease season is longer – ticks, for example, are now active all year round in many places.' One of the fastest growing infectious diseases in Europe is dengue. 304 cases were reported in Europe in 2024 alone – compared to 275 cases recorded in the previous 15 years combined. 05:11 The main culprit behind dengue is the Asian tiger mosquito, or Aedes albopictus. The insect is what's known as a vector, i.e. a living organism that can transmit infectious pathogens between humans or from animals to humans. With its distinctive black and white stripes that resemble those of a zebra more than a tiger, the mosquito is capable of transmitting dengue, zika and chikungunya. Europe only experienced a handful of diseases carried by the tiger mosquito per year right up until the late 90's. Most were one-off cases brought home by travelers from South East Asia – Aedes albopictus' s native home. But with increased travel and globalization, the insect's journeys westward increased. It hopped onto cargo carriers to Albania or hitched a ride to the warmer parts of France and moved to Europe, where it remains to this day. In 2006, France officially declared dengue a notifiable disease. In 2022, its presence was detected in most of the French mainland administrative departments. The insect quickly adapted itself to urban environments, where it needs just one still body of water – an undisturbed pond or a neglected watering can – to reproduce and proliferate. The numbers have jumped so dramatically that scientists now believe that the diseases carried by Aedes albopictus will become endemic in Europe. Some researchers even say that the number of dengue and chikungunya outbreaks could increase five-fold by 2060 compared to current rates. The tiger mosquito is a known carrier of several pathogens and viruses. Climatic conditions have contributed to a geographic range expansion of several other vectors like ticks and other species of mosquitos and flies, which carry their own diseases like West Nile Fever, Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. But unfortunately, it isn't just the bugs we need to be worried about. Climate change could also increase the occurrence of water-borne disease. In recent years, Europe has experienced the devastating impact of extended period of rain and floods, which wreak havoc on water treatment and distribution systems. Water can gather several pathogens from dumps, fields and pastures and flush them into water treatment and distribution systems. Kazmierczak also warns of pathogens carried in the sea: "As the arctic melts; salinity in seawater decreases, making it ideal for pathogens like vibrio. It's been seen more in the Baltic and North Seas. It is transferred from seafood or even exposure in an open wound if you're swimming in infectious water." Unearthing the zombie viruses Permafrost covers almost 15 percent of the northern hemisphere, a significant portion of which is concentrated in Siberia, Alaska and Greenland. As the name implies, permafrost is soil and rock that stays frozen for at least two consecutive years. It acts almost like a cold storage for history: mammoths, saber-toothed tigers and long extinct plants have been preserved, almost entirely intact. Some of what's stuck in frozen limbo isn't even dead – it's just dormant. Numerous 'zombie microbes' have been discovered in melting permafrost over the years, some after millennia. Researchers have raised fears that a new global medical emergency could be triggered – not by an illness new to science but by an ancient disease which modern human immunity is not equipped to deal with. The melting permafrost could also release old radioactive material and banned chemicals that had been dumped as waste. This was the case in 2016, when over 2000 reindeer were found dead in Siberia because of an anthrax outbreak. Melting permafrost thawed the carcass of a reindeer that had died decades ago and unleashed the dormant virus into the modern world. Dozens of people living nearby had to be hospitalized. This bizarre new threat may be another consequence of warming global temperatures, despite sounding like it's been pulled from the pages of a science fiction novel. But Kazmierczak says that the research is still in its nascent stages and permafrost exists in isolated regions with little habitation. Adapting to a new environment The changes in the geography of infectious disease, to a large extent, cannot be undone. Temperatures in Europe have already risen by over 2 degrees in the last decade alone, with no sign of it slowing down. But despite the warming climate, Kazmierczak is hopeful that Europe can adapt. 'National health infrastructures and awareness will be paramount in our adaptation. We already have examples from countries that have already dealt with these illnesses, and we can adapt them to Europe. 'We believe that a way to reduce our carbon footprint is also to bring nature into cities and homes – but hosting vectors, for example, is exactly the flipside that it can have. We need to make sure that we adapt with awareness.'
Fashion Network
12 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Halara launches in UK, plans pop-ups this year
Singapore-based apparel brand, Halara, is expanding into the UK market 'after rapidly gaining traction in the global athleisure space'. It recently opened in Britain online and now has plans to introduce a UK pop-up experience later in 2025, bringing its digital-first, community-driven model into physical retail space, to work alongside its app and online platform. It's a model it has used in other markets and pop-ups continue to be a major focus for the firm. The brand, which was founded in 2020 by Joyce Zhang, has built a reputation for fashion-focused, affordable womenswear made from performance-driven fabrics. It offers both everyday clothing and active/leisure pieces and the ongoing popularity of athleisure in the UK means it could be a lucrative market for the business. Halara's rapid rise has been fuelled by its strong presence on TikTok, where it has 'built a community through high-volume creator partnerships and relatable, story-led content'. And it uses feedback from that community to drive product development. Jessica Thompson, global brand president at the business, said that 'since its launch, Halara has experienced strong, consistent growth, doubling revenue year on year. This momentum is driven by innovation, not just in our product range, but in how we operate. 'We were early to platforms like TikTok, embraced AI-powered tools, and adopted flexible production models that keep us ahead of trends and allow us to move quickly in response to consumer demand. 'TikTok has been a powerful engine for engagement and brand storytelling, sparking conversations through ads, creators, and organic word of mouth from our real customers. This traction has helped build a vibrant community and fuelled sales growth. 'We're also excited to bring our product to life through offline activations, giving UK customers the chance to touch, try, and experience Halara in person through impactful brand moments.'
