Global OTEC and 2H Offshore firm collaboration for OTEC development
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in London, last week, by the Director of the 2H France office, Pierre Guerin, the Managing Director at 2H, Yann Helle, Founder and CEO at Global OTEC, Dan Grech, the Commercial Director at Global OTEC Andreas Koall and the Lead Engineer at Global OTEC Sam Johnston
Global OTEC and 2H Offshore have signed an agreement to combine their expertise in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology and marine engineering. The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in London last week, will focus on the development of floating OTEC, with emphasis on Water Intake Riser (WIR) systems that are essential for the technology to operate offshore. This collaboration is a significant step towards making OTEC commercially viable worldwide, with the potential to change the energy landscape in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), currently powered almost exclusively by fossil fuels.
2H Offshore is a company specialising in Marine Energy and is well-known for its expertise in designing seawater intake risers and pipes for various applications including OTEC, seawater air conditioning, floating production storage offloading and water intake risers. The company’s key capability in this field is the design and implementation of motion monitoring systems that help to characterise riser response and evaluate fatigue. “Our journey in advancing marine engineering resonates deeply with Global OTEC’s passion for sustainable energy solutions. This collaboration is more than a merging of expertise; it’s a shared commitment to pioneering innovative technologies and the personal conviction we hold towards shaping a more sustainable future”, says the Managing Director at 2H, Yann Helle.
Focused on expanding its technology worldwide, Global OTEC presented advanced concepts of its first-of-a-kind commercial-scale floating OTEC platform at the beginning of November, during the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF). Capable of generating 1.5MW net output by harnessing the ocean waters using an array of OTEC modules, the platform named Dominique is set to start by the end of 2025 in São Tomé and Príncipe, Africa.
Global OTEC Founder and CEO Dan Grech highlights the importance of this collaboration for this project and further OTEC development. “The water intake riser has long been the limiting factor in OTEC scale and readiness. We are reassured by the progress being made in offshore oil and gas for cooling systems to be directly applicable to properties of riser required by an offshore OTEC platform.”
OTEC harnesses the temperature difference between surface seawater and deep ocean water to generate electricity. With a higher capacity factor than other renewable energy sources, it has the potential to provide baseload reliable power for coastal nations and SIDS seeking to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. OTEC can operate continuously, 24/7, throughout the year, making it an ideal alternative for countries located within the tropics that require a consistent and uninterrupted clean energy supply.
About 2H Offshore
Based in the UK, 2H Offshore delivers leading-edge advanced systems engineering for all types of offshore structures in the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. With over 30 years in the offshore energy business, the company has mastered marine structure dynamics, worked with all types of offshore systems and components, and gained comprehensive experience in every aspect of offshore installation.
About Global OTEC
Global OTEC is a UK-based private company set up to accelerate the commercialisation of a floating OTEC technology to develop zero-carbon, baseload, clean energy sources that achieve maximum impact in empowering Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developing Countries (LDCs) and Coastal Nations with energy security whilst helping the Earth reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eventually eliminate total dependence on fossil fuels.
