MULTIPLE PRODUCT OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION PROJECT(MPOP): RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS

IOA News Letters Summary

In Dr. Patrick Takahash's presentsation to a meeting on MPOP, held in conjunction with the Oceans¡¦91 Conference in early October 1991 at Honolulu, he listed four main points for consideration for R&D in relation to MPOP: 1. Research should be supported to anticipate programs beyond the MPOP project. 2. Environmental considerations, already relatively important in Taiwan, could someday soon be augmented by carbon tax and other externality inducements for renewable energy. 3. For OTEC developments 5MW and smaller, the integrated co-product package can make a system attractive today for marketing throughout the world, particularly island economies. 4.The direct replacement or substitution of fossil fuel and nuclear power plants using OTEC electricity should not be the primary goal- the longer term, indirect opportunities could well be more significant, that is, 1000 megawatt OTEC plantships to refine metals, etc., In addition, there are the implications of creations new fisheries and marine biomass plantations from the upwelled fluids

Dr. Takahashi, a member of IOA, is the vice-president of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR) and also the Director of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute which is part of the University of Hawaii.

Dr. Takahashi suggested the topics of priority for ROC¡¦s MPOP development as follows:

1. selection and development of co-product options
2. initiation of marine biotechnology experiments for bio pharaceutical and other applications
3. development of next generation cold water pipe and turbine
4. systems integration of ocean resour

He noted all of these programs should be conducted in cooperation with international partners.

Dr. Takahashi proposed a MPOP R & D technology transfer and training plan. The plan should:

1. Identify and gain approval for a five-year budger to carry on this program.
2. Expand R & D at Taiwan universities, government agencies such as the Council of Agrifculture, Taipower and the Industrial Technology Research Institute.
3. Select a lead research organization-such as National Taiwan Ocean University-which can mature with the subject itself.
4. Complete environmental and bathymetric studies at potential host sites.
5. Cooperate on research and demonstrations at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii.
6. Participate in initiative to create an international Marine Biotechnology Center in the Pacific regions.
7. Initiate technology transfer and training program with the University of Hawaii and PICHTR.
8. Continue cooperative effort on open ocean mariculture.
9. Become an active partner in the Blue Revolution 2000 Project.

In a projecting R.O.C.¡¦s OTEC systems commercialization timetable into the 21st century, Dr. Takahashi indicated the feasibility of a Taiwan floating city by the year 2050. The other development programs are presented below in Table 1:

Table 1. Dr. Takahahsi propsed R. O. C.'s OTEC system timetable