Global OTEC partners up with 2H Offshore to advance OTEC tech

Business Developments & Projects

December 4, 2023, by Amir Garanovic

Global OTEC and 2H Offshore have signed an agreement to combine their expertise and accelerate development of floating ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) technology.

The signing of the MoU (Courtesy of Global OTEC)

The partnership, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), will focus on the development of floating OTEC, with emphasis on Water Intake Riser (WIR) systems that are essential for the technology to operate offshore.

According to the companies, the collaboration is a significant step towards making OTEC commercially viable worldwide, with the potential to change the energy landscape in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), currently powered almost exclusively by fossil fuels.

Yann Helle, managing director of 2H Offshore, said: “Our journey in advancing marine engineering resonates deeply with Global OTEC’s passion for sustainable energy solutions. This collaboration is more than a merging of expertise; it’s a shared commitment to pioneering innovative technologies and the personal conviction we hold towards shaping a more sustainable future”.

Global OTEC is developing a commercial-scale floating OTEC platform capable of generating 1.5MW net output by harnessing the ocean waters using an array of OTEC modules. The platform, named Dominique, is set to start by the end of 2025 in São Tomé and Príncipe, Africa.

Dan Grech, CEO of Global OTEC, said: “The water intake riser has long been the limiting factor in OTEC scale and readiness. We are reassured by the progress being made in offshore oil and gas for cooling systems to be directly applicable to properties of riser required by an offshore OTEC platform.”

OTEC harnesses the temperature difference between surface seawater and deep ocean water to generate electricity. With a higher capacity factor than other renewable energy sources, it has the potential to provide baseload reliable power for coastal nations and SIDS seeking to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

2H Offshore is a company specializing in marine energy with the expertise in designing seawater intake risers and pipes for various applications including OTEC, seawater air conditioning, floating production storage offloading and water intake risers.