Conceptual Design and Environmental-Economic Assessment for an Integrated Ocean-Based Climate Solution

As the impacts and damages caused by global warming become more and more severe, the ocean-based climate solutions are gaining increasing attention. This chapter examined a floating system combining ocean energy utilization, offshore aquaculture, and biological productivity enhancement. Standardized and modified systems were assumed to be applied in tropic and subtopic areas in East to Southeast Asia. Comprehensive assessments and carbon footprint calculations were conducted for the assumed applications. The results of the comprehensive assessment by the index of IIIlight demonstrated the sustainability of all the applications. Despite the large amount of capital investment is difficult to be paid back, the huge environmental benefit makes the system to be sustainable at 14th–33rd year during the 50 years’ design lifetime. The carbon footprint calculations also showed the potential of the system to be a climate solution. An annual CO2 reduction effect could be expected in all examined applications, while the effect varied from 5000 to near 100,000 tons in different location. Employing the microalgae cultivation to link the ocean energy utilization and the ocean aquaculture, the proposal could also contribute to maintain the food, especially the protein security.