17 December 2024 – As we close out 2024 and prepare for an exciting 2025, we reflect on a year marked by significant achievements in our work advancing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).
Our PLOTEC project took a huge step forward in 2024. After three years of planning, design, and development, our storm-resilient floating OTEC platform entered ocean waters for the first time. We are now looking forward to the next phase, where it will be assembled at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) for testing.
Check out our retrospective to explore this year’s key moments, and stay tuned for more progress in 2025!
January
Focus on the PLOTEC project, finalising the design, logistics and preparation to start the fabrication of our storm-resistant OTEC structure in the Canary Islands, Spain.
February
Launch of the first episode of Island Voices with Dr. Al Binger. This is our series of video interviews with islanders talking about challenges to overcome in their countries when it comes to power generation:
March
Beginning of fabrication of our storm-resistant structure for OTEC in Gran Canaria, Spain, while the cold-water riser pipe started to be fabricated in Austria by AGRU:
In a roundtable at the Export Barbados (BIDC) headquarters, we presented our technology and current projects, highlighting the potential for baseload clean energy from the ocean to power the country.
Beth Watkins and Mungo Park were announced as new advisory board members. Beth has 20 years of infrastructure experience and has been investing in renewables and cleantech for 10 years, and Mungo has 40+ years of experience in the capital markets, specifically involved in technology and healthcare innovation, development and implementation.
April
Launch of our Open Library, a result of our efforts to raise awareness and amplify knowledge about OTEC. It comprises relevant content, data, and general information related to OTEC and Ocean Energy, where you can easily access articles, PDFs, papers, and research materials on this topic.
Progress at the shipyard with the cutting of the plates for the mooring padeyes:
May
Presentation of our projects at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) in Antigua and Barbuda. Happening every ten years, the SIDS4 Conference brings world leaders together to agree on a bold action plan for their specific challenges in the next decade.
Delivery of the inner and outer shells for our storm-resistant prototype at the shipyard:
June
Halfway mark achieved in the fabrication of our storm-resistant OTEC structure.
Launch a special video celebrating the legacy of OTEC. Our storm-resistant prototype Don is named in honour of Don Lennard — a British aircraft engineer and Royal Navy veteran who dedicated his life to advancing OTEC technology. As part of this tribute, we interviewed his son, Iain Lennard, to share more about Don’s incredible contributions to the field.
July
Launch of our special content to make learning about OTEC more accessible to the next generations: the OTEC Activity Book. This interactive resource is designed specifically for children, allowing them to explore the concept of OTEC through enjoyable challenges and simple explanations. It is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dhivehi and Bahasa Malaysia.
A new member joined our team: Head of Operations Simon Mutzenich. With a foundation in Mechanical Engineering, Simon furthered his expertise with a PhD, and an MBA, and has earned recognition as a Fellow and Chartered Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
Continued progress at the shipyard building our storm-resistant structure for OTEC:
August
While we continued to work on our PLOTEC project, we took a moment to reflect on the progress made to date:
September
We opened our first overseas office. Alongside our London headquarters, we now have a new base in Houston, Texas.
Participation at the Houston Energy & Climate Week, engaging with industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers to discuss the future of sustainable energy.
New team member: Project Analyst Kashawn Hall. He is currently a Doctor of Philosophy candidate in the Environmental Studies programme at the University of the West Indies – Cave Hill Campus, with the study topic of “A Technical Study of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion For Barbados”.
As we approached the final stages of fabricating our storm-resistant floating structure for OTEC, our Lead Engineer Sam Johnston completed offshore safety and survival training in London.
While the riser pipe for the PLOTEC project started its journey to Gran Canaria, over 230 meters of mooring chains were delivered to the shipyard as well:
October
Participation in a panel at Malaysia’s Sabah International Blue Economy Conference (SIBEC) 2024 and Malaysia’s Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Seminar. Our team had the privilege of presenting our technology and projects to local authorities:
Launch of our new website, with a redesigned online presence to make it easier than ever to explore our projects, track our latest progress, and engage with our vision for a renewable future through the ocean.
The finishing touches of our floating cylindric storm-resistant structure for OTEC were made, with the painting being completed:
November
Participation in the 1st Brazilian Workshop on Geothermal Energy Utilization and Storage, hosted by Petrobras, with the launch of our OTEC Power Module®. This innovative system is designed to improve efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of offshore operations by replacing the need for long subsea tiebacks over long distances.
Our Founder and CEO Dan Grech was nominated as the United Kingdom Delegate for the Ocean Thermal Energy Association.
Our floating storm-resistant structure was lifted into the ocean, in Gran Canaria. It was an exciting moment, a result of nine months of hard work at the shipyard:
December
Participation at the 10th International OTEC Symposium, collaborating with industry leaders to advance ocean renewable energy.
Preparation for the upcoming installation of our storm-resistant prototype at the testing site, where it will be assembled with the cold-water pipe and proprietary connecting point when a good weather window allows it.
In a special video, our Founder and CEO Dan Grech shares our 3-year journey in advancing OTEC to storm-prone regions through the PLOTEC project: