The OTEA is an international community working on technologies that enable island and coastal communities to meet their energy, fresh water, and food needs from self-sufficient and sustainable ocean resources. Our membership is committed to bringing these technologies to commercialization as soon as possible through cooperation with local and international stakeholders so that we can collectively contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while also providing new opportunities for diversity, social justice, decarbonization in both cooling and energy production, and a host of other enabling opportunities.
Environment
While the OTEA is a newer organization, we are committed to keeping a low impact on the environment in our organizational activities and have adopted online tools wherever possible. In addition, the technologies we advocate will have a significant environmental benefit compared to the business-as-usual cases now in operation.
OTEC is a power generation method capable of producing base-load power 24/7 cleanly and renewably from the naturally occurring temperature difference in the ocean. While some carbon is necessary for the construction of pipes and facilities, the relatively small footprint and ability to operate without fuel provides an overall significantly lower carbon footprint compared to many other power generation facilities.
Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) can reduce cooling energy demand by 90%, significantly reducing the amount of energy necessary to cool buildings or even data centers. This energy efficiency can equitably provide cooling resources while also reducing cost and CO2 emissions.
Social
The OTEA is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive community with its Executive Committee comprised of delegates from each member country/region with 3 or more members. Members from countries/regions with fewer members are also collectively represented by 3 delegates. All delegates are elected by their peers.
Seawater industries based on Deep Ocean Water (DOW) resources provided by OTEC or SWAC can provide new opportunities for economic development for the island and costal communities on the forefront of climate change. DOW is a resource that enables self-sufficient aquaculture, agriculture, freshwater production, cosmetics, etc. from local resources, providing jobs from temporary to doctorate levels. As small communities often lack local resources, enabling the shift to OTEC and DOW related industries can significantly boot-strap sustainability efforts for these communities.
Governance
The OTEA operates in an open manner with input from and oversight by members and the Executive Committee. Our leadership is diverse, with Chair and Two Vice Chairs elected by their peers, and a Secretariat working with all members to achieve our combined goals. We will actively ensure our activities remain transparent and non-political through the early establishment of strategic vision, policy, and codes-of-conduct.