Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, United States
Published: September 4, 2008, 10:23 pm
Updated: September 4, 2008, 10:23 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Cutler J. Cleveland
A schematic of a closed cycle OTEC system to generate electricity. Photo: NREL
United States Congress passed the Ocean Thermal Energy Converstion Act of 1980 to promote the development of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), an alternate source of energy with the potential to minimize dependence on foreign sources of oil. The Act gave the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the authority to license the construction, ownership, location, and commercial operations of OTEC facilities. Under the Act, OTEC facilities are not required to obtain leases or pay royalties to the federal government, a provision intended to encourage commercial development of the energy source.
The Act gave the U.S. Coast Guard the responsibility of ensuring safe construction and operation of OTEC facilities, preventing pollution, cleaning up any discharged pollutants, and ensuring that the discharged pollutions did not change the thermal gradient of the ocean region. Due to relatively low fossil fuel prices and the high perceived risk of investing in new technology, NOAA had not received any license applications as of 1998.
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Citation
Ida Kubiszewski PhD (Lead Author);Cutler J. Cleveland (Topic Editor) "Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, United States". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth September 4, 2008; Last revised Date September 4, 2008; Retrieved May 18, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ocean_Thermal_Energy_Conversion_Act_of_1980,_United_States>
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Dr. Ida Kubiszewski is a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University. She is also a co-founder and former-Managing Editor the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Kubiszewki is currently working as the Managing Editor for a magazine/journal hybrid called Solutions. Solutions is an outlet for discussions focusing on solutions to the complex problems we are now facing in ... (Full Bio)
A schematic of a closed cycle OTEC system to generate electricity. Photo: NREL
United States Congress passed the Ocean Thermal Energy Converstion Act of 1980 to promote the development of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), an alternate source of energy with the potential to minimize dependence on foreign sources of oil. The Act gave the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the authority to license the construction, ownership, location, and commercial operations of OTEC facilities. Under the Act, OTEC facilities are not required to obtain leases or pay royalties to the federal government, a provision intended to encourage commercial development of the energy source.
The Act gave the U.S. Coast Guard the responsibility of ensuring safe construction and operation of OTEC facilities, preventing pollution, cleaning up any discharged pollutants, and ensuring that the discharged pollutions did not change the thermal gradient of the ocean region. Due to relatively low fossil fuel prices and the high perceived risk of investing in new technology, NOAA had not received any license applications as of 1998.
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