• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2012

Annual power consumption of our country is positioned in the upper percentile in the world, and because the proportion of fossil power generation is high, which ranks the 10th $CO_2$ emission country. In this regard, government has established and is implementing the National Energy Basic Plan to realize to get out of fossilization in energy supply while focusing on securing the technology for renewable energy as well as its commercialization in order to reduce greenhouse gas. Resource recovery technology for deep seawater thermal energy which is one of renewable energies is newly getting attention domestically as well as in overseas for securing resources and environmental improvement as a core technology for multilateral use of marine resources for low carbon and green growth. Economic feasibility analysis was conducted for the research and development as follows on the use of ocean thermal energy conversion and seawater air conditioning. First, in the case of power generation using deep seawater and warm discharge water from ocean thermal energy conversion plant of 1MW level, it is judged that the economic feasibility is insufficient but the feasibility will be significantly improved if we consider not only power generation but also drinking water and certified emission reduction by developing the power plant to the size for commercialization. Second, the economic feasibility for the use of deep seawater as air conditioning for the power plant of 1,000RT level turned out to be very good. Especially, when we consider certified emission reduction, it will be possible to secure sufficient economic feasibility. When we use it in connection with ocean thermal energy conversion, water conversion and agricultural and fishery use, it is judged that economic ripple effect will be significant and therefore it will be necessary to conduct research and development for early commercialization, distribution and diffusion of deep seawater energy.