Status: Active
The Makai Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Facility is currently able to produce grid-connected power.
Purpose
This facility was opened as a corrosion and heat exchanger test facility in 2011, and a turbine and related equipment was installed in 2015 enabling power production. Although connected to the grid, it is not a commercial facility and was not designed for commercial power production. The Facility is owned and operated by Makai Ocean Engineering. From the website:
The Ocean Energy Research Center (OERC) in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA is a unique and critical research facility dedicated to demonstrating and improving technology to harness the thermal energy of the ocean. The primary focus is on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems, but research is being done at the Center to support other deep ocean water technologies.
https://www.makai.com/ocean-thermal-energy-conversion/
Details
- Scale: 105kW equivalent
- Working Fluid: Ammonia
- Type: Closed Cycle | Onshore
- Seawater Source: Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA)
- Established: 2011(facility), 2015(OTEC)
- Operation: Intermittent Operation 2015~
- Location: Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, USA
- Website: https://www.makai.com/ocean-thermal-energy-conversion/