夏威夷州長林格（Linda Lingle）在18日發表一個新能源計畫的合作聲明，表示將在夏威夷開發10 百萬瓦特（MW）的海洋溫差發電實驗廠（Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Pilot Plant，OTEC）。所謂OTEC，係指從溫暖的海面溫度和較為寒冷的深水海洋間溫差來產生電力。
林格州長在為期11天的亞洲參訪中，在台灣會見各級官員，期間不僅提倡觀光產業及促進商業合作，並發表了這份合作聲明。且訪台過程中，林格和台灣工業技術研究院及洛克西德馬丁公（Lockheed Martin Corp.）達成協議，要在夏威夷開發首座OTEC實驗工廠。
這套OTEC系統的作用是將太陽輻射轉換成電力。只要溫暖的海面溫度和深水海洋間的溫差相差約36華氏度（即20攝氏度）左右，OTEC系統就能產生強大的動力傳導，把海洋能量轉換成再生資源，進而產生幾十億瓦的電力。
「有鑑於太平洋海島經濟，台灣與夏威夷面臨著極為相似的挑戰，也就是皆過份仰賴進口能源來滿足本身的能源需求」林格說道，「但兩國都有使用國家本身的能源資源，來增加利用再生與清淨能源的遠景與計畫。」
目前能源產業的景氣使OTEC的長期籌資情況有延緩趨勢；但對那些相當依賴進口能源的熱帶島國而言，OTEC科技的遠景相當看好。
目前，夏威夷有94%的主要能源須仰賴進口化石燃料，而其餘則是利用風力、太陽能及地熱能等再生資源。OTCE可以提供島上居民所需的迫切電力，並除去海水的鹽分。
相較於夏威夷，台灣更加仰賴進口能源，原因在於台灣本身再生資源的供應量比夏威夷少1%之故。夏威夷與台灣的合作協定將使夏威夷與美國能源部門一起推動的清淨能源計畫（Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative）更臻完善，以期能達到能源自給自足，並成為其他地區所仿效的典範。
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle Tuesday announced a new energy partnership to develop a 10 megawatt ocean thermal energy conversion pilot plant in Hawaii. Electricity will be generated from the difference in temperature between the ocean's warm surface and its colder depths.
Governor Lingle made the announcement from Taiwan, where she is meeting with officials to promote tourism and business partnerships as part of her ongoing 11 day trip to Asia.
During the Governor's official state visit to Taiwan, she came to an agreement with the Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute and the Lockheed Martin Corporation to build the initial pilot plant in Hawaii.
OTEC systems work by converting solar radiation to electric power. As long as the temperature between the warm surface water and the cold deep water differs by about 36°F, an OTEC system can produce a significant amount of power, turning the oceans a vast renewable resource, with the potential to produce billions of watts of electric power.
"As island economies in the Pacific, Taiwan and the State of Hawaii share very similar challenges of overdependence on imported petroleum for their energy needs," Governor Lingle said. "Taiwan and Hawaii also share a common vision and plan to increase renewable and clean energy generation based on indigenous energy resources."
The current economics of energy production have delayed the financing of a permanent, continuously operating ocean thermal energy conversion plant. But OTEC technology is viewed as promising for tropical island communities that rely heavily on imported fuel.
Hawaii currently relies on imported fossil fuel for about 94 percent of its primary energy - the balance is from renewable resources such as wind, solar and geothermal power.
Ocean thermal energy conversion plants could provide islanders with much-needed power, as well as desalinated water.
Taiwan is even more dependent on imported fuels than Hawaii, with less than one percent of its primary supply derived from indigenous renewable sources.
This latest agreement with Taiwan complements the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy which will move the state away from its dependence on fossil fuels and toward a clean energy economy that is intended to be a model for other states and regions.
