Abstract
With its pristine water, stable temperatures, high local demand, strategic location and US legal structure, Guam has good potential for aquaculture to be a growth sector for Guam’s economy. For this study, OES technology is evaluated as a source of electricity for a proposed Guam Aquaculture Innovation Center (GAIC). Two potential sites were assessed to build the GAIC facility, which is expected to include facilities within a 5-acre area for applied research involving assessment of local species for food and non-food production, evaluating commercial marine ornamentals, culture, and reproduction of species for reef restoration, aquaponics systems, incubation of aquaculture businesses, and developing marine hatchery technology for multiple species. The study leverages the strong interests of UOG's Guam Aquaculture Development and Training Center (GADTC) and Sea Grant to develop the aquaculture industry and explore how ocean energy can be leveraged. This assessment evaluates two types of OES technology for use on Guam: ocean energy thermal conversion (OTEC) and wave energy converter (WEC). Guam’s location in the tropical western Pacific Ocean makes it an ideal candidate for using OTEC and/or WEC systems as a steady source of clean energy to power the GAIC. Other use cases are also explored for leveraging OES as a clean energy source to benefit the island, such as powering a desalination plant, the island’s electrical grid, or other industries, such as electrolysis for hydrogen generation.