NORTH CAROLINA OCEAN ENERGY

Nicholas De Gennaro PhD PE D&D Civil & Coastal Engineering

Mike Muglia North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Introduction -- The NC offshore NC Energy resource

and presentation objective

Marine Hydrokinetic- Western Boundary Current

Marine Hydrokinetic –Ocean Thermal Energy

Wind

Petroleum

Summary

Conclusion

MARINE HYDROKINETIC ENERGY

Global potential

Form Annual

generation

Tidal energy >300 TWh

Marine current power >800 TWh

Osmotic power Salinity gradient 2,000 TWh

Ocean thermal energy Thermal gradient 10,000 TWh

Wave energy 8,000–80,000 TWh

Source: IEA-OES, Annual Report 2007[3]

How Much Energy is Available from Marine Renewable Resources?

MHE North Carolina Western Boundry Current -Part of the

Coastal Studies Institute Renewable Ocean Energy Program

Gulf Stream underwater turbines

Wind

Waves

Offshore Energy Storage

Ocean Thermal

Oil and Gas

Extensive Observations and Modeling:

This work gives us information on the potential of offshore energy

Extensive Ocean

ObservationsJennette’s Pier: Wave energy test site

Waverider Buoy: Real time wave measurements

CODAR HF Radar Sites: Long distance ocean

surface current measurements

WERA HF Radar Sites: High resolution ocean

surface current measurements

Moored 150 kHz ADCP: Long-term full water

column ocean current measurements

Moored 300 kHz ADCP: Long-term full water

column ocean current measurements

RV Neil Armstrong Transects: Benthic mapping,

several ocean/atmospheric measurements

METS Buoy

Glider Paths

North Carolina

Expanding Observing Capabilities

Innovative System Components

o A Hermetically Sealed Magnetically Geared MHK Generator and NC Manufacturing for Source Laminated Steel Parts for Use in Magnetic Gear Assembly

o Tethered Co-axil Turbines for Hydrokinetic Energy Harvesting

Gears, Controls, and InterfacesNC State Research

• Bio-mediated Soil for Mitigation of Scour at Foundation Supporting MHK Devices in Marine Environment

• Load Capacity Model & Durability of Micropiles Anchoring MHK Devices

• Structural Health Monitoring of Micropiles for Anchoring MHK off the NC Coast

• Instability of MHK Structure on Sloping Seabed Coupled with Evolving Morphology Due to Sediment Transport

• Dynamically Coupling the Impact of MHK Devices on Wave Field & Sediment Transport

Innovative System ComponentsAnchoring Systems and Seabed Stability

Geotechnical Research

Marine Hydrokinetic Energy

Concept

Gulf Stream Current

Energy Extraction System

Important engineering considerations include

the type of turbine, mooring, and anchoring

system to be used;

the total water depth and bottom type

where turbines will be installed;

the current variations with depth;.

The Largest

Solar Collector is the Ocean

Approximately 1016 watts (10,000 tetra watts) of solar

power reaches the earth’s surface, while the power level

demanded by modern civilization is 1013 watts.

The sun provides us with well over 1000 times more

energy then is needed by all of civilization, thus all we

need to do is harness 0.1 percent of the sun’s energy

reaching the earth for all our energy needs.

The productive ocean region for OTEC is where the surface water is between

78 and 82F all year and the underlying water is between 35 and 40F.

A temperature difference of only 36°F can yield usable energy.

Take for example the Gulf Stream off the North Carolina coast;

it has been estimated that OTEC units spaced a mile apart in

this current and operating with an efficiency of only 2%, could

produce 30 x 1012 kw/hr per year - 13 times the total U.S.

consumption of electric power in 2015 continuous with no

down time.

History

Over the past one hundred years, several small OTEC

plants have been built

The idea was first proposed by D’Arsonval in 1881, but it

was his student, another French physicist, Georges

Claude, who put the idea into practice. In the 1920’s and

1930’s, Claude built and tested several small

experimental ocean thermal power plants

The operation of an OTEC plant requires

no special scientific challenge as its basic

processes are well understood

Just as a fossil fuel

plant runs on hot

combustion, The

OTEC plant runs on

heat from the ocean.

In both plants there is

a “working fluid”.

The fossil fuel plant

uses water and the

OTEC system uses a

fluid with a lower

boiling point, like R717

or ammonia. In both

plants the working

fluid must be cooled

after it has expanded

and driven the

turbines.

Concept -Floating OTEC Plant An OTEC plant might

be built on a large

floating platform

measuring perhaps

400 feet in diameter

and extending several

hundred feet down

into the water.

The location of the

OTEC plants in a

common environment

should make it

possible to mass

produce their

components - to build

them all to one set of

specifications.

A 100 MW floating OTEC plant

already has been designed.

the most challenging comonent of

and plant is the Cold Water Pipeline

1000 meters long would have a 10

meter (diameter.

Lockheed Martin has developed a

method of fabricating this fiberglass

pipe while on a floating OTEC

platform at sea.

OTEC----- LAND BASED

There may be a potential advantage associated with pumping large quantities of cold

water to the surface. This deep water could cool surface water which may reduce the

intensity of hurricanes and reverse some of the ocean temperature rise.

WIND -- Expectation & Development

We often hear:

Offshore wind power can help to reduce energy imports,

reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases

(by displacing fossil-fuel power generation)

And It will, create jobs and local business opportunities.

Hard to argue against these statements –

OFF SHORE WIND HISTORY

Europe is the world leader in offshore wind power, with

the first offshore wind farm being installed in Denmark in

1991.

By January 2014, 69 offshore wind farms had been

constructed in Europe with an average annual rated

capacity of 482 MW for a total of 16GW (16,000MW)

At the end of 2017, the total worldwide offshore wind

power capacity was 19 GW.

All the largest offshore wind farms are currently in

northern Europe, especially in the United Kingdom

Denmark and Germany, which together account for over

75% of the total offshore wind power installed

worldwide.

As of September 2018, the 659 MW Walney

Extension in the United Kingdom is the largest

offshore wind farm in the world.

Technology & FoundationsThe size and capacity off each turbine unit is

continuing to increase. The average offshore

wind turbine installed in 2014 had a 377 foot

diameter rotor on a 279 foot tall tower.

The average capacity of offshore wind turbines

installed in 2014 was 3.4 MW.

In 2017 Westermost Rough was the first

offshore wind farm in the world to make

commercial use of 6 MW turbines with 75 meter

blades (490 foot diameter) standing 600 feet

above the water surface.

How Huge is 600 Feet?

Offshore turbines require different types of bases for

stability, according to the depth of water. To date a

number of different solutions exist:

A monopile (single column) base, six meters in

diameter, is used in waters up to 30 meters deep.

Gravity Base Structures, for use at exposed sites in

water 20–80 m deep.

Tripod suction caisson structures, in water 20-80m

deep.

Conventional steel jacket structures, as used in the

oil and gas industry, in water 20-80m deep.

For locations with depths over about 60–80 m, fixed

foundations are uneconomical or technically

unfeasible, and floating wind turbine anchored to the

ocean floor are needed.

Construction of Monopiles

At the end of 2011, the European

Wind Energy Association had set a

target of 40 GW installed by 2020

however as of 2018 there is 19 GW

world wide

The Dogger Bank originally

projected to produce up to 9 GW of

power in 2012, was scaled down to

7.2 GW in 2014

and again scaled down even further

to 4.8 GW in 2016

It is not yet under construction.

Block Island project- The first and only

offshore wind farm constructed in the

USA.

It is the 30-megawatt,

5 turbine system,

It went online in 2017

using 6 Megawatt Turbines

OFFSHORE WIND IN THE UNITED STATES

The project was fully designed and permitted by

2012. It went to bid for construction in 2014.

Firms from the US did not win one contract

– Semans ( a German company) won most of the

mechanical work.

The project is still not slated to start construction.

No power company would come forward to make

the PAA. The project is in limbo and may not be

constructed after spending millions of dollars in

grants and public funding.

Cape Wind is the only large scale wind farm

designed and fully permitted but it is not yet

constructed.

If the project is constructed, it will have a maximum

generating capacity of 478 MW using 3 MW

turbines.

Delaware took steps to develop offshore wind power, selecting Blue Water Wind

to construct a 200 MW facility in 2012. As of this date no offshore work has been

implemented.

In Maine, a deal to build a wind farm fell apart after the state’s governor elected to

reopen the bidding process to other developers.

A Norwegian energy company, Statoil originally won the project.

In 2008 New Jersey had a goal of installing 1000MW of offshore wind

energy by 2013. NJ selected Deepwater Wind to build a 350 MW facility

and offered rebates and tax incentives. To date no offshore progress has

been made after spending millions.

Proposed Off Shore Wind in North Carolina

A Spanish energy conglomerate won the rights

to develop an offshore wind farm off Kitty Hawk

with a $9 million bid to the federal government.

Kitty Hawk could be the first of several

commercial-scale offshore wind farms in NC.

There are two other North Carolina leasing units,

Wilmington East and Wilmington West, that will

be offered for lease at a later time.

The Kitty Hawk auction goes back to 2010,

when the agency began working to identify

suitable ocean parcels for wind farm

development in NC

However – A Temporary Moratorium on Wind

Projects is Proposed in North Carolina

Legislature

There are reasons why the projected progress of offshore wind power has not

progressed as predicted. But I don’t have time nor is it the scope to get into those

reasons here.

But our objective in this presentation is to see how the renewable technologies such as

discussed earlier and wind can move forward.

So how can offshore wind power and MHK become beneficial and move forward in

the US and especially in NC?

At this time the US wind industry cannot compete economically with the

EU.

As of January 2017, German wind turbine manufacturer Siemens and

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas together have installed 80% of

the world's offshore wind power capacity.

In order for the offshore wind industry in the US to become competitive

the wind and petroleum industries should cooperate and combine

technology and resources.

In further cooperation, since the wind and petro industry have significant

funding and production in place, they should be required to contribute to

research and prototype facilities of other alternatives such as Marine

Hydrokinetic as part of the their continued development.

This way all forms of energy would have a seat at the table.

This may reduce the competition and bickering among groups since no

viable forms of energy production will left out.

How would this work?????

First we must realize that there is no such thing as wind energy by

itself.

This is because wind energy is unpredictable and has an

uncontrolled output.

Therefore wind energy must be permanently paired with a

balancing secondary fuel source, which almost always is Gas (i.e.

natural gas) or a storage technology.

So, what actually exists

in the real world is a Wind+Gas/storage package.

In other words, the more wind we have, the more other sources

must be developed.

At this time we have the two divergent camps and they fight each other

continuously; one wanting renewables the other pushing forward on petroleum.

This conflict drives up the cost of both technologies without additional befit and

with long delays in implementation.

The take away here is petroleum and wind can be synergistic and also be

helpful to upcoming and new technologies which will not have production plants

for a least 15 years and reach full maturity for 30 years.

Offshore Wind Farms could be a power

source and petroleum platforms

The Gullfaks and Snorre fields on

the Norwegian Continental Shelf

are working on powering the

offshore gas industry with

offshore wind power from floating

offshore wind turbines.

This is the first time an offshore

wind farm is directly connected to

oil and gas platforms.

The aim of the project is to

reduce the use of gas turbines by

supplying the platforms with wind

power.

Developers are experimenting with different designs in the

hope of driving down costs.

Such as Foundations that twist three piles around a central

column, similar to structures used for offshore oil and gas

platforms.

As turbines get larger, these multi-pile designs may be more

stable and cost effective.

Given the similarity between the foundations

and substructures needed for offshore wind development

and those used by the oil and gas industry, combining the

existing manufacturing workforce and infrastructure

technology can make the US offshore wind program

completive with the EU.

Foundation Development

As with off shore petroleum, Turbines are

much less accessible when offshore

(requiring the use of a service vessel for

routine access, and a jack up rig for

heavy service such as gearbox

replacement).

Maintenance organizations perform

maintenance and repairs of the

components.

Some wind farms located far from

possible onshore bases have service

teams living on site in offshore

accommodation units similar to those

used by the petroleum industry.

Access to turbines is by helicopter or service

access vessel.

Petroleum Resource Verification

Big movements in the price of oil can have significant effects in the general economy

countries with the most oil within their borders are set to benefit as demand for crude

continues to rise.

It is important to determine if there is a significant petroleum resource off our coast. Then

we can make informed decisions on the energy sources that should be developed.

Then the issue of seismic testing surfaces.

Before I get into some of the perceived environment impacts of seismic survey, I would

like us to understand that LD completed surveys forty years ago with no environmental

impacts or public concern.

Similar more comprehensive seismic surveys will be needed to understand the

subsurface conditions to design the piling system to support for offshore wind turbines

and there does not seem to be public concern for these surveys.

There is strong evidence that man made air blast impulses required for

seismic surveys, have no significant effect on marine mammals.

The most comprehensive research studies were conducted by

Woodside Institute in 2007 in and around Scott Reef off of the north

west Australia coast.

Additionally:

Studies were done by leading researchers from all over the world.

They examined the impacts of a seismic survey on marine life and

concluded that it caused:

• no significant, long-term impact on fish behavior in either caged or

wild fish

• no hearing impacts (temporary or permanent) in fish

• no long-term effects on fish or coral populations

• no observed physiological effects or mortality in other marine fauna.

Seismic Testing Impacts

In Canada in 2004, teams of scientists prepared

major literature reviews of the primary and

secondary literature that reported on experimental

studies and field monitoring of the effects of sound,

particularly seismic sound, on marine organisms.

These have been published as a Review of

Scientific Information on Impacts of Seismic Sound

on Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Turtles and Marine

Mammals.

These studies have not found evidence that

suggests any link between seismic surveys and

adverse impacts on marine life.

Environmental Impacts of Seismic Testing

Final Summary

There does not seem to be any logical reason to impede the required

seismic survey necessity to determine the structures required for wind

turbine foundations or the available petroleum resource

Since the wind and petroleum industry have significant funding, as part

of the continued development of the these energy sources they should

be required to contribute to research, prototype, and production

facilities of other alternatives such as Marine Hydrokinetics (Ocean

Thermal Energy and Energy Current Turbines).

Such cooperation would save money, time, and reduce political

controversy.

It would increase our energy resource development more efficiently.

.

CONCLUSIONS

One of the important conclusions that we confirmed with this research is that

each of the presented alternates have positive attributes and pit falls.

But also each of the alternatives have unique qualities that can be used for the

benefit of the other alternatives.

If the public and legislators allow a coordinated effort among the energy sources

to work together and share cost instead of a fight for total control all will benefit.

The overall cost energy will be reduced and work will be implemented sooner.

Nicholas De Gennaro PhD PE & Mike Muglia

It takes an enormous number of wind turbines to even

roughly approximate the average output of a single gas

well. For example (see here), to match the energy

output of the One offshore gas well, it would take 7700

offshore wind turbines —

covering an area the size of the state of Rhode Island!

There is much more offshore oil and gas activity on

Australia’s west coast than on its east coast, but the

rates of humpback population increase are almost

identical. There is no evidence that seismic surveys off

Western Australia have harmed Australia’s humpback

whale populations.

Summary-Benefits and Opportunities of OTEC

Immense Resource: OTEC is solar power, using the oceans as a thermal storage system for 24-hour production. Unlike other

renewable energies, the maximum available energy from OTEC is not limited by land, shorelines, water, environmental impact,

human impact, etc.

Baseload Power: OTEC produces electricity continuously, 24 hours a day throughout the entire year. Large, baseload OTEC plants

could actually start to replace fossil-fuel-fired power plants without compromising grid stability.

Dispatchable Power: OTEC is dispatchable, meaning that its power can be ramped up and down quickly (in a matter of seconds) to

compensate for fluctuating power demand or supply from intermittent renewables. For this reason, OTEC is complementary to other

renewables like solar and wind, and could enable further penetration on the grid while helping to maintain its stability.

Security: OTEC offers the opportunity of tapping an immense energy resource that is not controlled by other nations.

Renewable: OTEC is conservatively believed to be sustainable at four or more times man’s current total electrical energy production.

Electricity without CO2

Additional Product's: Cold nutrient rich sea water can be used for aquaculture potable water air conditioning Fuel productions –

electrolysis of sea water can produce hydrogen fuel . When burned will produce H2O

Clean Energy: OTEC has the potential of being a very clean alternative energy – unique for a firm power source capable of providing

massive energy needs. The environmental risk with OTEC is very low.

Offshore: OTEC production occurs offshore. Land resources are not needed other than for on-shore landing. OTEC is not competing

for other vital resources such as food and fresh water.

Europe has poured $1.2 trillion into the green energy

industry to fight global warming, but its carbon dixoide

(CO2) emissions and power bills just keep rising. The

German government estimates that it will spend over

$1.1 trillion financially supporting wind power, even

though building wind turbines hasn’t achieved the

government’s goal of actually reducing carbon dioxide

(CO2) emissions to slow global warming.

Extensive Observations and Modeling informs offshore energy development:

● Gulf Stream underwater turbines

● Wind

● Waves

● Offshore Energy Storage

● Device testing

● Oil and Gas

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a process that can produce electricity by using the

temperature difference between deep cold ocean water and warm tropical surface waters. OTEC

plants pump large quantities of deep cold seawater and surface seawater to run a power cycle and

produce electricity. OTEC is firm power (24/7), a clean energy source, environmentally

sustainable and capable of providing massive levels of energy

The heat exchanger test facility is a 40′-tall tower that

supports up to three different evaporators, three

different condensers, 24″ seawater piping, and an

accurately instrumented ammonia working fluid piping

system with two pumps and pressure vessels. The test

facility allows Makai to measure the performance of

evaporators and condensers, as a function of water

velocity, temperature difference, and ammonia flow

rate. The figure to the right shows the facility under

construction in mid-October 2010, portions of these

systems are visible

Kilowatt thousand

Megawatt million

Gigawatt billion

Terawatt trillion

When wind power is generated during low demand

hours, the utilities are is forced to spill hydro, steam off

nuclear or curtail power from the wind turbines, in order

to manage the grid. When wind turbines operate at

lower capacity levels during peak demand times, other

suppliers such as gas plants are called on for what is

needed to meet demand.

The U.K. president for German energy giant EON

stated wind power requires 90% backup from gas or

coal plants due to its unreliable and intermittent nature.

The average efficiency of onshore wind power

generation, accepted by Ontario’s Independent

Electricity System Operator (IESO) and other grid

operators, is 30% of their rated capacity; On occasion,

wind turbines will generate power at levels over 90%

and other times at 0% of capacity

'D. Savidge, A. Boyette,

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography'