New Reports and Maps Show Riverine Hydrokinetic & OTEC Potential
January 16, 2013 The Energy Department recently released two
nationwide resource assessments showing the potential ocean
thermal and river hydrokinetic resources available to contribute
to the United States’ total annual electricity production. These
reports represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date
to accurately define the magnitude and location of U.S. and
global ocean thermal and continental U.S. river hydrokinetic
resources. The two reports – “Assessment and Mapping of the
Riverine Hydrokinetic Resource in the Continental United States”
and “Ocean Thermal Extractable Energy Visualization” – calculate
the energy available from ocean thermal gradients off U.S.
coasts and from U.S. rivers that can be used for future
production. Both reports are available from the Water Power
Program’s resource assessment and characterization webpage. The
riverine hydrokinetic resource report, authored by the Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI