GC: n
CT: Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), the prior art, is a subset of what is conceived as hydrothermal energy. Whereas OTEC (also known as hydrothermal power generation), focuses on electrical power generation from ocean temperature difference, hydrothermal energy offers a more comprehensive utilization of the natural water resources. The water resources may be transported to and from the source and collocated for utilization on the surface on floating platforms or from shore-based applications. The shore-based applications may involve laying down pipes into the water source, or using drilling techniques, such as tunnel boring or directional drilling, also known as drilled hydrothermal energy.
S: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/AE_hydrothermal_energy.html (last access: 8 February 2015)
N: 1. hydrothermal (adj): 1852, from hydro- (before vowels hydr-, word-forming element meaning “water,” from Greek hydro-, comb. form of hydor “water”) + thermal (1756, “having to do with hot springs,” from French thermal (Buffon), from Greek therme “heat, feverish heat,” from PIE gwher- “to heat, warm”; sense of “having to do with heat” is first recorded 1837); 1855 in geology.
energy (n): 1590s, “force of expression,” from Middle French énergie (16c.), from Late Latin energia, from Greek energeia “activity, action, operation,” from energos “active, working,” from en “at” + ergon “work, that which is wrought; business; action”.
Used by Aristotle with a sense of “actuality, reality, existence” (opposed to “potential”) but this was misunderstood in Late Latin and afterward as “force of expression,” as the power which calls up realistic mental pictures. Broader meaning of “power” in English is first recorded 1660s. Scientific use is from 1807. Energy crisis first attested 1970.
2. Hydrothermal energy is the process of obtaining heat or energy from a large body of water. “Heat”, in this case should not be associated with high temperature (as it may be with geothermal energy) but rather a relative heat content or relative temperature difference. The abundance of this renewable energy source was testified by the eminent ocean energy scientist, Hans Krock. “The energy flowing through the surface layer of the tropical ocean is about 10,000 times greater than the energy used by human societies. As such it is the only energy resource on Earth that is large enough to replace fossil fuel.”
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=hydrothermal+energy&searchmode=none; http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=hydro-&allowed_in_frame=0; (last access: 8 February 2015). 2. http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/AE_hydrothermal_energy.html (last access: 8 February 2015).
SYN: hydrothermal power
S: GDT (last access: 8 February 2015)
