The Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (OES) is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries, to advance research, development and demonstration of technologies to harness energy from all forms of ocean renewable resources for electricity generation, as well as for other uses, such as desalination, through international co-operation and information exchange.
THE OES EMBRACE THE FULL RANGE OF OCEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES |
|||
Waves, created by the action of wind passing over the surface of the ocean; |
|||
Tidal Range (tidal rise and fall), derived from the gravitational forces of the Earth-Moon-Sun system; |
|||
Tidal Currents, water flow resulting from the filling and emptying of coastal regions as a result of the tidal rise and fall; |
|||
Ocean Currents, derived from wind-driven and thermohaline ocean circulation; |
|||
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), derived from temperature differences between solar energy stored as heat in upper ocean layers and colder seawater, generally below 1,000 m; |
|||
Salinity Gradients, derived from salinity differences between fresh and ocean water at river mouths |
​
Offshore wind, marine biomass or submarine geothermal which occupy sea space but do not directly utilize the properties of seawater, are not included in the OES remit.
Most ocean energy technologies are being developed to produce electricity, although some of them are being developed to deliver other or multiple products, derived from the physical and chemical properties of seawater (e.g. fresh water and sea water air conditioning).