Seatrec today announced it has successfully demonstrated that differences in ocean temperature can be used to power oceanographic equipment. Last week Seatrec tested a Sea-Bird Scientific Navis float, powered by two Seatrec SL1 energy harvesting modules, and successfully profiled to a depth of 1000 meters. The SL1 harvests energy from temperature differentials in the ocean and converts it to stored electrical energy for future use. This clean, renewable energy can potentially power profiling floats indefinitely and dramatically reduce costs for essential data collection for oceanographic research.
See how it works here.
“We’re excited to demonstrate for the first time that two SL1 energy harvesting modules attached to a Navis float can profile at a depth of 1000 meters,” said Dr. Dave Fratantoni, Seatrec Senior VP of Research and Engineering, who led the successful sea trial. “This means that profiling floats used for ocean observation can be 100 percent powered by naturally occurring temperature differences in the ocean, extending their life and measurement capabilities.”
Seatrec’s SL1 sustainable energy harvesting modules enable floats to last longer and sample more frequently, which are two critical requirements for today’s oceanographic research demands. The international oceanographic research community plans to add 1,000 Biogeochemical (BGC) Argo floats to monitor the marine ecosystem. While Argo floats need to last years to monitor climate change, BGC Argo floats require more frequent sampling to resolve the day-to-day changes associated with weather or even the hour-to-hour changes associated with sunrise and sunset.
Seatrec is now accepting orders on its SL1 thermal energy harvesting module to power profiling floats, and is actively developing a companion solution for underwater gliders. For product inquiries and more information, contact sales info@seatrec.com.