Harvesting Ocean Energy

Energy can be harvested from the oceans in five basic ways, with a multitude of variations.

1. Tides - Potential energy contained in tides can be harnessed by building barrage or other forms of construction across an estuary.
2. Waves - Kinetic and potential energy in ocean waves can be harnessed using modular technologies.
3. Tidal or marine currents - Kinetic energy in tidal (marine) currents can be harnessed using modular systems.
4. Temperature gradients - Thermal energy due to the temperature gradient between the sea surface and deepwater can be harnessed using different Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) processes.
5. Salinity gradients - At the mouth of rivers where fresh water mixes with salt water, energy associated with the salinity gradient can be harnessed using pressure-retarded reverse osmosis process and associated conversion technologies.