A new hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion–Offshore solar pond (OTEC–OSP) design: A cost optimization approach

Solar thermal electricity (STE) generation offers an excellent opportunity to supply electricity with a non-CO₂ emitting technology. However, present costs hamper widespread deployment and therefore research and development efforts are concentrated on accelerated cost reductions and efficiency improvements. Many focus on the latter, but in this paper we rather focus on attaining very low levelised electricity costs (LEC) by designing a system with very low material cost, while maintaining appreciable conversion efficiency and achieving low maintenance cost. All investigated designs were dimensioned at a 50 MW scale production. Calculated LECs show that a new proposed hybrid of ocean thermal energy conversion with an offshore solar pond (OTEC–OSP) may have the lowest LEC of 0.04 €/kWh. Addition of a floating offshore solar pond (OSP) to an OTEC system increases the temperature difference in the Rankine cycle, which leads to an improved efficiency of 12%, while typical OTEC efficiencies are 3%. This higher efficiency leads to much lower investments needed for power blocks, while the OSP is fabricated using very low-cost plastic foils. The new OTEC–OSP design can be located in many sunny coastal areas in the world.