WHAT END OF OTEC?

If you scroll down, two days ago I posted on "The End of OTEC?"  While I hardly ever get comments to my blog, I did receive a flood of e-mail messages, and the pings to this site jumped (Thanks Jeremy!).

While a broad response to the International Maritime Organization can only help to prevent their current plan to control, if not prevent, the development of OTEC, a cohesive campaign to interact with the IMO should also be orchestrated.  As the general-secretary is Koji Sekimi from Japan, clearly, coordination should be handled by Japan.  Thus, I would recommend to Professor Yasuyuki Ikenaga that he gain the involvement of Professor  Toshitsugu Sakou and the Japan Marine Technology Society (plus other interests, especially companies like IHI and XENESYS) to take on this task.  It was just about three years ago that I addressed (above left, photo with leaders) this organization in Tokyo on OTEC and the Blue Revolution.

However, the IMO is not headquartered in Tokyo.  

Offices of the Secretariat

​International Maritime Organization 4, Albert Embankment London SE1 7SR United Kingdom Tel +44 (0)20 7735 7611 Fax +44 (0)20 7587 3210 Email: info@imo.org

Map Data Terms of Use Map

Thus, it would be helpful if OTEC supporters in Europe also assist in this task.  France's DCNS seems to be the most active defense contractor involved with OTEC today.  A special meeting should be organized at the next OTEC meeting, which will be held in Sweden on October 15 and 16.  As would be expected, Professor Ikegami and Dr. Luis Vega will be keynote speakers at this gathering, so it would be opportune for them to organize a session with other concerned individuals.

My experience with legislation, the U.S. Congress and the United Nations is that sometimes just a simple adjustment of language can be effective.  For example, as the primary concern of the IMO is the massive dumping of iron sulfate to promote plankton growth, it might be more convenient to simply exclude the effluents from OTEC, as the flowrates to be experience are miniscule compared to natural upwelling.

To ease the anxiety, keep in mind that what the U.S. Senate does is simply ignore ratifying these kinds of treaties.  For example, currently pending are 36 treaties, many dealing with the ocean, going back as far as 1948.  However, official or unofficial, any sort of control by the United Nations can only be terrible for the future of OTEC.  Thus, carry on with the next step in Boras (photo on right), Sweden.

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Super Typhoon Usagi has become a monster storm, now at 155 MPH:

Originally projected to strike Taiwan, Usagi moved south and is now heading straight for Hong Kong and Macao towards the end of this weekend:

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