An Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) pilot plant off the coast of Hawaii’s Big Island is now a step closer to reality. The U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NFEC) has just awarded Lockheed Martin a US$4.4 million contract modification to develop critical system components and designs for the plant – this amount is in addition to the $8.1 million contract the NFEC issued in 2009, as well as two grants totaling $1 million that Lockheed Martin received from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2008 and this March. Hopefully, this means the streets of Kona may someday be lit by electricity obtained from the temperature difference between warm and cold sea water.
An artist's impression of Lockheed Martin's Hawaii OTEC pilot plant
Full article here: More Funds for Hawaii’s Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Project
Filed under: Announcements, Big Island, Environment, Hawaii, Kona, Military, Something New?, State Affairs, Technology Tagged: | Big Island, Energy Conversion, OTEC
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