U.S. Virgin Islands Sustainable Energy Expert Appointed As OTE’s Director of Business Development for the U.S. Virgin Islands
As OTE Expands Caribbean Operations In Clean Energy And Potable Water Production
Lancaster, PA, USA, April 3, 2012 – Heru Ofori-Atta, B.A., J.D., has accepted an appointment as Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation’s (OTE) Director of Business Development for the US Virgin Islands. Heru is an experienced enterprise leader in the field of energy and sustainability initiatives in the Caribbean region. He is the Special Adviser to the University of the Virgin Islands Caribbean Green Technology Center where he has been responsible for planning, programming, smart partnerships and policy in regard to renewable energy and sustainability initiatives throughout the Caribbean. He took the lead in planning, organizing and implementing thematic concepts for the CARILEC (Consortium of Caribbean Utility Executives) Renewable Energy Conference of 2011.
Heru has also been the initiator and liaison between the University of Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) in integrating interconnection efforts for UVI’s 5 MW solar power purchase agreement project and in recruiting the EPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as third party technical advisors for UVI’s solar power purchase agreement process. Heru’s successful experience includes a senior role as a Strategic Consultant for green investment funds and private green industry enterprises. He is the Executive Producer and Host for the TV Show ‘Lightworkers’ where renewable energy leaders from government, academia and private business are interviewed concerning their thoughts and visions for a greener earth (see an example here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38o88GFHvBA). Heru received his Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law and a BA from Tufts University where he was placed on the Dean’s Scholars List receiving the Dean of Students’ Leadership and Community Service Award.
Based in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Heru will lead OTE’s efforts there in identifying business opportunities for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), Seawater District Cooling (SDC), as well as potable water production, and sustainable aquaculture and mariculture associated with OTEC and SDC. He will further play a leadership role in managing key client relationships, and OTE’s strategic planning for the U.S. Virgin Islands, utilizing his extensive skills in a variety of business development areas.
“I am delighted to now be part of the OTE team bringing affordable renewable energy, clean drinking water, sustainable aquaculture and broad economic development to the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Mr. Ofori-Atta. Jeremy P. Feakins, OTE Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, noted: “Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation is truly fortunate and pleased that Heru will be adding his considerable talents in supporting our core mission of helping the U.S. Virgin Island’s move toward energy independence through Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion.”
Demonstrated to be technically feasible in the 1990s at the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA), Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the natural temperature gradient of the world’s tropical oceans to produce clean base-load (24/7) electricity, without the use of fossil fuels. Though proven 20 years ago, OTEC has not been ripe for commercialization until recently. Now, however, three factors have coalesced to provide appropriate market conditions. First, sustained high oil prices have made OTEC electricity pricing increasingly competitive, particularly in many remote tropical island communities where transportation costs to import oil are extremely high. Second, technical advances in the off-shore oil industry in the last two decades, many of which are applicable to deep cold water pipe technology for OTEC, have resulted in greatly reduced capital costs for construction of OTEC plants. Third, as awareness of global warming has increased substantially, many governments have adopted aggressive renewable energy goals, making OTEC more desirable and competitive. The attractiveness of base-load (24/7) OTEC electricity is further enhanced when contrasted with intermittent renewable energy alternatives such as wind and solar.
OTEC has additional important advantages including the production of limitless, clean, fresh drinking water. A 10-megawatt plant could produce millions of gallons of potable water per day from nutrient-rich, pathogen-free ocean water. OTEC also provides sustainable aquaculture and mariculture opportunities to farm a number of cold-water species of seafood. In addition to developing OTEC plants, OTE Corporation also develops Sea Water District Cooling (SDC) facilities, using deep cold water to air-condition large structures, saving its customers up to 90% electricity usage when compared to conventional air- conditioning.
Based on its proprietary power plant designs, OTE Corporation offers a range of innovative products and services, as described above. With offices in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Hawaii and The Bahamas, The Company, tracing its roots to 1988, has a multidisciplinary team of experienced corporate executives, scientists and ocean engineers, together with strong strategic corporate alliances, enabling it to provide solutions to address today’s toughest energy, resource and environmental problems.
Notes to Editors: Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation (‘OTE’) is an international renewable energy and resource company using ocean thermal energy conversion (‘OTEC’) to develop land-based power plants for the production of low-cost clean electricity and potable water.
