A Measurement Based Analyses of the Hydrokinetic Energy in the Gulf Stream

This study uses ocean current measurements made off the East Coast of the United States to evaluate the ocean currentbased electricity production potential in the Gulf Stream. Drifter data from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) are used to map the energy density from South Florida to North Carolina, showing that the most energy-dense areas exist off the east coast of Central Florida. Bottomand vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements are used to conduct a more detailed study near 26N and 27N, respectively. These results quantify the energy profiles in these regions, suggesting that 54% more energy-dense currents are available at 27N than at 26N.