Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (OTE) has signed a $3.5 million contract with building safety company Johnson Controls to explore the feasibility of deploying a 17.5 megawatt (MW) Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) system at a U.S. military base in the Republic of Marshall Islands.
The contract is part of Johnson Controls Deep Energy Retrofit Assessment program for engineering planning and design at the U.S. Army Garrison–Kwajalein Atoll (USAG-KA), to advance energy independence for the remote military installation.
OTE Corp’s OTEC technology leverages ocean temperature differences to produce clean, continuous energy and desalinated water. The initiative aligns with the Army’s goals of energy security, sustainability, and resilience, particularly critical for remote installations like Kwajalein Atoll. Additionally, the project will explore seawater desalination to bolster water resilience at the site.
DCO Energy will act as the owner’s engineer, collaborating with OTE Corp to design the OTEC system, which includes load analysis, conceptual engineering, and cost estimation. The partnership builds on their prior expertise, including a seawater cooling system for a resort in the Bahamas and a 7.5 MW OTEC design for Bahamas Power and Light.
“Partnering with Johnson Controls underscores the transformative potential of OTEC technology. This initiative not only enhances operational resilience for military bases but also represents a significant step forward in integrating renewable energy into national defense strategies,” said Jeremy P. Feakins, Chairman and CEO of OTE Corp.
