Abstract
The limited supply of fossil fuels, constant rise in the demand of energy and the importance of reducing greenhouse emissions has brought the adoption of renewable energy sources for generation of electrical power. One of these sources that has the potential to supply the world’s energy needs is the ocean. The current utilization of ocean area as energy source in West African region is in the production of oil and gas from the continental shelf. However, this resource is depleting and the adaptation of ocean energy could be of major importance especially in favorable areas. The primary purpose this paper is to discuss the possibilities of Ocean Based Renewable Energy (OBRE) and to analyze the economic impact of adapting ocean energy. The analysis is conducted from the perspective of cost, energy security and environmental protection. This analysis will be helpful in determining the feasibility, performance, issues and environmental effects related to the generation and transmission of OBRE in West Africa region. This study shows that adapting ocean energy in West Africa region can significantly produce the energy needed to match the rising energy demands. Although, the transition towards the OBRE will incur high capital cost at the initial stage but it will eventually lead to a cost-effective generation, transmission, environmental improvement and stable energy supply to match demand when compared with the conventional mode of generation in West Africa.