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Activating our partnership with the United Kingdom…joining the Governor over there now.

Gulf Stream: An Untapped Source Of Renewable Energy

Gulf Stream: An Untapped Source Of Renewable Energy
Submitted by News Account on 25 July 2008 - 12:00am. Energy

Officials from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and FAU’s Center for Ocean Energy Technology (COET) in the College of Engineering and Computer Science accompanied Florida Governor Charlie Crist on a recent visit to several universities and organizations in the United Kingdom to continue discussions, exchange information and formalize agreements in areas of clean ocean energy, environmental issues and climate change.

Last year, Florida and the UK signed a partnership agreement on global climate change, physically tying one to the other by the Gulf Stream, that massive ocean current which is of critical importance to the present climate and quality of life affecting each partner.

Artistic rendering showing ocean energy technology installed offshore Florida to provide electricity, hydrogen, and cold water cooling generated from the Gulf Stream and ocean thermal energy.

At the core of the FAU/UK partnership is research being conducted by the COET. The COET was established in 2006 with a $5 million award from the Florida Technology, Research and Scholarship Board. Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature selected the COET to serve as a member of the newly-formed Florida Energy Systems Consortium, and this month, awarded the Center with an additional $8.75 million for research and development.

The consortium was established by the Florida Legislature to bring together researchers, unique facilities and technology transfer and incubation programs in energy from state universities. Founding members of the consortium include FAU, University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida and University of South Florida.

“FAU is working closely with the British Consulate in Miami, UK Trade & Investment and our other UK partners to help us understand and develop guidance for global policy as it relates to ocean energy extraction,” said Brogan. “Furthermore, Florida and the UK are committed to increasing climate-friendly economic opportunities for our respective citizens, improving our public policies on reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases, exchanging expertise on research and technology, and increasing public awareness.”

“Our Center for Ocean Energy Technology is focused on the ocean as a sustainable baseload energy research in two main forms: thermal energy associated with heat from the sun absorbed by the ocean; and mechanical energy associated with ocean currents,” said Susan Skemp, executive director of the COET, who was on the UK trip with Brogan and Dr. Frederick Driscoll, technical director of the COET.

Research at the COET covers a broad spectrum of areas which are necessary to enable the development of a sustainable ocean energy industry. The COET is initially focused on characterizing and evaluating available resources offshore in Florida in the form of a real-time instrumented ocean observatory. A lease application for the COET for an area offshore of Fort Lauderdale has been short-listed by the U.S. Minerals Management Service in a preliminary round of leasing available to ocean energy projects. In cooperation with the offshore range, the COET will develop a variety of platforms that will allow technologies to be tested in situ for most of the development phases necessary to build up to commercial implementation. Moreover, the COET is working together with FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to develop an integrated system approach towards environmental, ecological, resource and power system assessment, and risk avoidance to ensure that all elements related to harnessing open-ocean access energy research and development are addressed and understood.

“Currently, ocean energy is undeveloped compared to other conventional and renewable energy technologies,” said Driscoll. “While many single technology-centric efforts are underway around the world, there is no unifying infrastructure in the U.S. or abroad to support multi-faceted ocean energy research and development. Our Center is helping to bridge that gap.”

Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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Re: More Good News on the Research Front

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/07/25/0725fausign.html

By KIMBERLY MILLER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, July 25, 2008

Formal agreements between Florida Atlantic University and two British research groups will increase transatlantic collaboration on finding renewable energy sources.

The agreements, signed by FAU President Frank Brogan this month during a trip to London, are with Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, and the New & Renewable Energy Centre in Blythe, Northumberland.

The focus of the agreements on FAU's side is its Center for Ocean Energy Technology in Dania Beach, where scientists are working on several projects they hope will create clean energy generated by the ocean.

Under the plans signed by Brogan, researchers from England and FAU agree to work together on renewable energy projects, share information and facilities, and jointly seek money to pay for the research.

Research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate-level students are also guaranteed in the plans.

"Currently, ocean energy is undeveloped compared to other conventional and renewable energy technologies," said Rick Driscoll, technical director for FAU's ocean energy center. "While many single technology-centric efforts are underway around the world, there is no unifying infrastructure in the U.S. or abroad to support ocean energy research and development. Our center is helping to bridge that gap."

Driscoll's center received a $5 million state grant in 2006, and was awarded another $8.75 million in state money this year.

The center's projects include placing a turbine in the Gulf Stream to create energy, using deep ocean water as an air conditioner for coastal areas and generating energy from extreme temperature differences that naturally occur in the ocean.

A lease that would allow FAU to begin experiments in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Fort Lauderdale is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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Re: More Good News on the Research Front

More Good News on the Research Front

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-25-2008/0004855936&EDATE=

FAU Accompanies Florida Governor Charlie Crist on UK Trade Mission for Ocean Energy Research and Development

    BOCA RATON, Fla., July 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Officials from
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and FAU's Center for Ocean Energy
Technology (COET) in the College of Engineering and Computer Science
accompanied Florida Governor Charlie Crist on a recent visit to several
universities and organizations in the United Kingdom to continue
discussions, exchange information and formalize agreements in areas of
clean ocean energy, environmental issues and climate change. The FAU/UK
trip was part of a statewide business development mission which included
nearly 100 university and business leaders.

    Last year, Florida and the UK signed a partnership agreement on global
climate change, physically tying one to the other by the Gulf Stream – a
massive ocean current of critical importance to the present climate and
quality of life affecting each partner. FAU President Frank T. Brogan
signed memorandums of understanding with Heriot-Watt University and the New
& Renewable Energy Centre to exchange researchers, and technology and
information on ocean energy and climate change, helping to pave the way for
additional agreements with other universities and industry. FAU previously
exercised an agreement with the University of Edinburgh to further develop
collaboration on ocean energy research and technology.

    "FAU is working closely with the British Consulate in Miami, UK Trade &
Investment and our other UK partners to help us understand and develop
guidance for global policy as it relates to ocean energy extraction," said
Brogan. "Furthermore, Florida and the UK are committed to increasing
climate-friendly economic opportunities for our respective citizens,
improving our public policies on reducing global emissions of greenhouse
gases, exchanging expertise on research and technology, and increasing
public awareness."

    At the core of the FAU/UK partnership is research being conducted by
the COET. The COET was established in 2006 with a $5 million award from the
Florida Technology, Research and Scholarship Board. Earlier this year, the
Florida Legislature selected the COET to serve as a member of the
newly-formed Florida Energy Systems Consortium, and this month, awarded the
Center with an additional $8.75 million for research and development. The
consortium was established by the Florida Legislature to bring together
researchers, unique facilities and technology transfer and incubation
programs in energy from state universities. Founding members of the
consortium include FAU, University of Florida, Florida State University,
University of Central Florida and University of South Florida.

    "Our Center for Ocean Energy Technology is focused on the ocean as a
sustainable baseload energy research in two main forms: thermal energy
associated with heat from the sun absorbed by the ocean; and mechanical
energy associated with ocean currents," said Susan Skemp, executive
director of the COET, who was on the UK trip with Brogan and Dr. Frederick
Driscoll, technical director of the COET.

    Research at the COET covers a broad spectrum of areas which are
necessary to enable the development of a sustainable ocean energy industry.
The COET is initially focused on characterizing and evaluating available
resources offshore in Florida in the form of a real-time instrumented ocean
observatory. A lease application for the COET for an area offshore of Fort
Lauderdale has been short-listed by the U.S. Minerals Management Service in
a preliminary round of leasing available to ocean energy projects. In
cooperation with the offshore range, the COET will develop a variety of
platforms that will allow technologies to be tested in situ for most of the
development phases necessary to build up to commercial implementation.
Moreover, the COET is working together with FAU's Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institute to develop an integrated system approach towards
environmental, ecological, resource and power system assessment, and risk
avoidance to ensure that all elements related to harnessing open-ocean
access energy research and development are addressed and understood.

    "Currently, ocean energy is undeveloped compared to other conventional
and renewable energy technologies," said Driscoll. "While many single
technology-centric efforts are underway around the world, there is no
unifying infrastructure in the U.S. or abroad to support multi-faceted
ocean energy research and development. Our Center is helping to bridge that
gap."

    Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth
public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000
undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located
along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich
tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts
ten colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F.
Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of
Biomedical Science, the Barry Kaye College of Business, the College of
Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L.
Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College
of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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