Stamps on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion – Stamps of Nauru 1982

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the temperature difference between the cooler deep and warmer shallow or surface seawater to run a heat engine and produce useful work, usually in form of electricity. OTEC can operate with a very high capacity factor.

Among Ocean energy sources,  OTEC is one of the continuously available renewable energy sources. Up to 88,000 TWh/yr of Power could be generated from OTEC without affecting ocean’s thermal structure. Currently, World’s only operating OTEC plant is in Japan overseen by Saga University.

In 2002, India also tested a floating 1 MW OTEC plant near Tamil Nadu.

In 1970, The Tokyo Electric Power Company successfully built and deployed a 100Kw closed-cycle OTEC plant on the Island of Nauru. The Plant became operational on 14 Oct 1981, producing 120 KW of electricity, 90 KW was used to power the plant and remaining electricity were used to power a school and other places. This set a world record for power output from an OTEC system where power was sent to the real power grid.

Nauru issued a set of Four stamps (two se-tenant pairs ) on the OTEC plant on 10 June 1982. A Sheetlet with two 40c stamps is listed. It features the OTEC plant on the stamps and on left and right side labels The finished 100KW electricity generating plant is featured. The bottom label shows the pipelines of the plant during low tide.