In the southeast region, Puerto Rico has one of the best sites in the world to develop Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). OTEC is a technology that harnesses the temperature difference between deep and surface seawater to extract stored solar energy from the ocean and generate clean, renewable energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

According to a 2021 report by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, OTEC could sustainably meet more than 100 percent of Puerto Rico’s energy needs at competitive market prices, thereby minimizing the import of fossil fuels. The electricity generated by OTEC can be directed to the power grid or used to produce green hydrogen, which some experts consider the fuel of the future. In addition to being eco-friendly and compatible with natural resource conservation, OTEC can co-produce drinking water, and the deep seawater used in the process can promote new industries in Puerto Rico, such as aquaculture, microalgae cultivation, and commercial or industrial-scale cooling systems.

Although there are currently two operational OTEC plants—one in Okinawa, Japan, and another in Hawaii—the history of OTEC began in the 19th century when French scientist Jacques D’Arsonval formally proposed the concept in the 1880s. In 1930, another French scientist, Dr. Georges Claude, built and operated the first OTEC plant in Matanzas, Cuba. The global oil crisis of the 1970s spurred major investments in OTEC development in countries like Japan, France, and the United States.

In addition to demonstration plants on land and at sea, major advances were achieved by entities such as Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. At the Mayagüez campus, through the Center for Energy and Environment Research, multiple studies were conducted in areas such as oceanography, heat exchanger design and operation, and environmental impact. Moreover, in 1980, the federal government established a public policy goal—via Public Laws 96-310 and 96-320—to develop 10,000 megawatts of OTEC capacity by 1999, identifying Hawaii and Puerto Rico as ideal locations to meet this objective.

Taking advantage of this momentum, in 1981 the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority submitted an innovative proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy to build and operate a 40-megawatt OTEC plant in Punta Tuna, Maunabo. Just imagine if that project had materialized! Unfortunately, due to political considerations (primarily at the federal level) and factors tied to the petroleum industry, OTEC (along with other renewables like solar and wind) lost policy priority. Nevertheless, for the past 40 years, Hawaii has continued its own efforts to advance OTEC, and so has Japan. That is why these two locations are currently global leaders in this technology. So the question is: what about Puerto Rico?

I am convinced that Puerto Rico can and should become the global leader in OTEC and deep-seawater applications due to our natural conditions and our socioeconomic and energy profile. When I served as Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, one of our priority projects was to develop the first marine technologies park based on OTEC and deep seawater in Yabucoa. It would have been the first of its kind in both the Caribbean and the Americas. Unfortunately, two hurricanes, political turmoil, earthquakes, and a global pandemic disrupted those plans.

However, thanks to FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the current public policies of the federal government and the Pierluisi administration—which aim to promote climate resilience and the development of clean, renewable energy technologies—we now have a second chance to continue the path started in the 1970s to advance OTEC in Puerto Rico. To this end, COR3 and the Puerto Rico Land Administration submitted a proposal to FEMA to develop a plant of up to 10 megawatts in Yabucoa. It would be the largest of its kind in the world and position Puerto Rico as a pioneer in the commercial development of this technology. As part of the process, preliminary consultations were held with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). FEMA’s evaluation period will take several months and, if approved, we will make history in 2023.

Master Plan for the Development of the Puerto Rico Ocean Technology Complex (PROtech): An Initiative to Generate Ocean Thermal Energy in Yabucoa

Puerto Rico faces major challenges due to its high dependence on fossil fuels, which negatively affect our economy and contribute to climate change. We must also be prepared for future hurricanes like María in 2017. That’s why we must continue investing in our climate resilience and accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources. OTEC, deep seawater applications, and other technologies like offshore wind and green hydrogen will be crucial for achieving long-term socioeconomic development and sustainability.