Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Structures

The immense reservoir of a solar energy stored in the ocean in the form of sun-warmed water has long been a tantalising source of energy waiting to be tapped. In 1881 d'Arsonval of France enunciated the principle of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), which uses warm water at the surface and the cold water at the depths of the ocean to alternatively evaporate and condense a working fluid, usually ammonia, to produce electricity. It is hoped that this paper will help stimulate the interest of structural engineers in a new field of structural engineering with the emergence of OTEC energy. It also calls attention to interdependency of a large number of engineering disciplines, the integration of which is required by the mega-engineering projects being considered in the context of today's rapidly advancing technology. At the same time, engineers, owners and users need to accept their responsibility as custodians of nature's resources, developing these resources in ways that achieve maximum sustainability for the future of our world.