By Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation
Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (OTE Corp) is developing advanced ocean-based energy and water technologies that significantly enhance resilience at remote U.S. military installations. In the Indo-Pacific and other tropical regions, forward-deployed bases depend on continuous power and reliable drinking water—resources that are extremely difficult and costly to supply across vast distances. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) offers a strategic, long-term solution to both challenges.
Addressing Kwajalein’s Emerging Water Crisis
Kwajalein Atoll and neighboring islands in the Republic of the Marshall Islands face a growing, well-documented water security issue caused by rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, and limited freshwater recharge. As sea levels rise and encroach on the islands’ already-thin freshwater lenses, the natural source of drinking water becomes increasingly salty. This leads to three escalating risks:
- Shrinking freshwater supplies as saltwater infiltrates groundwater aquifers
- Dependence on aging reverse-osmosis systems, which require large amounts of diesel fuel
- Reduced resilience during climate-driven storms, king tides, and drought
For U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll (USAG-KA), these pressures create a strategic vulnerability: water production becomes more fragile precisely as operational demand grows.
How OTEC Directly Solves Kwajalein’s Water Vulnerability
An OTEC system produces fresh, drinkable water as a byproduct of its cooling and power generation cycles by incorporating desalination equipment.
For Kwajalein, this means:
- A permanent, on-site source of high-quality drinking water
- No reliance on groundwater lenses that are being degraded by sea-level rise
- No diesel-powered desalination, eliminating fuel costs and logistical dependence
- A system that becomes more reliable, not less, as climate pressures increase
OTEC effectively decouples Kwajalein’s water supply from environmental conditions—ensuring water security even as sea-level rise continues to reshape the Marshall Islands.
Providing 24/7 Baseload Renewable Power and Fresh Water
Unlike intermittent renewables, OTEC produces continuous, 24/7 baseload energy and significant amounts of potable water by utilizing the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold deep-ocean water.
This is not just conceptual technology. OTE Corp is currently under contract with the U.S. Army to:
- Design and engineer a full-scale OTEC plant
- Provide 24/7 renewable electricity to USAG-KA
- Deliver reliable, long-term potable water generation
- Support resilience and strategic operations in the Marshall Islands
This marks the first time the U.S. Army has conducted such comprehensive OTEC engineering work. A commercially viable OTEC system will eliminate the need to ship millions of gallons of diesel fuel across the Pacific—reducing costs, logistical risks, and supply vulnerabilities for one of America’s most strategically important forward bases.
A Continuing Track Record With the Department of Defense
The Kwajalein initiative builds on OTE Corp’s previous collaboration with the Office of Naval Research, where OTE developed an OTEC system for the Naval Support Facility at Diego Garcia. Both islands share similar characteristics.
- Remote
- Logistically vulnerable
- Strategically indispensable
- Dependent on shipped fuel and fragile water systems
These efforts have allowed OTE Corp to demonstrate how OTEC can transform operational readiness by providing independent, on-site, climate-resilient energy and water that is:
- Resistant to supply-chain disruptions
- Unaffected by weather or seasonal variability
- Aligned with Indo-Pacific strategic priorities
- Supportive of chilled-water systems and other critical infrastructure
A New Strategic Imperative for the Military, Island Nations, and Coastal Communities
As climate pressures intensify and global logistics become more competitive, the ability to generate clean, continuous power and fresh water directly from the ocean is no longer just an innovation—it has become a strategic necessity. For the U.S. military, OTEC enhances operational readiness, decreases dependence on vulnerable fuel supply chains, and guarantees energy and water security in locations where both are increasingly threatened. For island nations and coastal communities facing rising seas, saltwater intrusion, and storm-induced infrastructure failures, OTEC offers a stable foundation for long-term resilience, economic stability, and environmental preservation. By advancing this technology today, OTE Corp is not only addressing immediate challenges at Kwajalein and Diego Garcia, but also helping to shape a future where remote bases and climate-threatened communities can succeed with reliable, renewable, and sovereign control over their most vital resources.
