Energy from the deep

摘要

The current focus on extracting energy from the oceans has been on wave or tidal devices, but as Tony James discovers there is huge potential in energy derived from the thermal extremes in oceans. SUNLIGHT FALLS on the world's oceans and almost all of that energy is captured within the top 300ft of water. You only have to consider the amount of power that could be generated from that energy in a land-based solar plant, so it is no surprise that since the early 1900s engineers have been attempting to mine this rich resource.