Abstract:
An offshore vessel embodies a mobile buoyant energy recovery system enabled to extract energy from solar power. An exemplary energy recovery system comprises concentrating solar thermal power systems (CSP) or concentrating photovoltaic power (CPV) systems on the deck of the vessel. Within the vessel hull, ballast water serves multiple purposes. The ballast not only stabilizes the vessel, but also provides reactant for hydrogen electrolysis or ammonia synthesis, or steam for a turbine. For CPV systems the ballast conducts heat as a coolant improving the efficiency and durability of photovoltaic cells. For CSP systems the ballast water becomes superheated steam through a primary heat exchanger in the concentrator. In some embodiments, some steam from the CSP primary heat exchanger or from the CPV coolant system undergoes high-pressure electrolysis of enhanced efficiency due to its high temperature. In some embodiments, the remaining steam that did not undergo electrolysis drives a steam turbine providing electrical current for electrolysis. A secondary heat exchanger takes heat from the steam expelled from an energy storage process to efficiently distill ballast water at a lower temperature thus minimizing corrosion and build-up of scale. A remote control Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) determines position, navigation, configuration, and operation of the preferably unmanned modular mobile buoyant energy recovery structure based on Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), Velocity Performance Prediction (VPP) models, Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and various onboard sensors and controls.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is generally in the field of power cogeneration systems. More specifically, the present invention teaches a remote-controlled modular mobile buoyant solar cogeneration plant that optimally recovers and delivers energy from an offshore marine environment. 
         [0003]    2. Background Art 
         [0004]    Today while worldwide investment in solar power systems reaches ever-increasing proportions, technology has not addressed many physical and regulatory constraints that impede rapid deployment of utility-scale systems. The solar power system manufacturing industry now in its nascent stages risks overcapacity and subsequent consolidation despite energy demand actually increasing, unless technology soon enables rapid deployment. 
         [0005]    With the output of renewable energy systems primarily utilizing electrical current as the energy carrier, the existing electrical grid must accommodate an increase of capacity afforded by new deployments. Both terrestrial wind and solar power proposed installations must competitively bid for access to limited transmission of power on what operators refer to as an oversubscribed grid. In such circumstances the grid operator and the energy system developer must negotiate shared costs in upgrading the grid near the energy resource. 
         [0006]    The intermittency of renewable resources such as wind and solar has increased costs and instigates their systems&#39; inherent inability to load-balance that leads to curtailment. For instance, idling wind turbines when available power exceeds demand effectively increases the price per Watt generated due to fixed operations and maintenance costs. While energy storage theoretically alleviates these difficulties, the storage system cost and the round trip efficiency of storing and retrieving the stored energy in batteries or hydrogen electrolyzers and fuel cells render these systems uneconomical. Also, other physical and technological constraints to extant storage systems include: limited availability of battery materials and suitable non-toxic chemistry; co-location of storage with the resource which does not circumvent the aforementioned oversubscribed grid requiring upgrade; and often, developers must deploy especially solar power generation plants where water resources for steam turbine electrical generation or hydrogen electrolysis bear critical scarcity. 
         [0007]    As human population grows, the value of arable land increases putting further constraints on rapid deployment of solar plants, as laws already exist to protect farmland adding further regulatory delay in renewable energy development and installation. Renewable energy system developers have commonly faced further regulatory delay due to unique electrical codes required by each locality of installations, and especially due to proposed installations threatening protected or endangered wildlife species and causing aesthetic objections raised by local human residents. 
         [0008]    Therefore, there exists a need for a novel solar energy recovery system that most efficiently provides energy from natural resources when and where available and needed while overcoming regulatory, technological, and physical constraints inherent in the existing energy infrastructure to facilitate rapid deployment of extant solar power systems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is directed to a novel remote-controlled mobile buoyant energy recovery system that recovers and delivers solar energy from offshore. The present invention teaches an offshore energy recovery and delivery system as a means to overcome regulatory land use restrictions, water scarcity, resource intermittency, existing grid capacity and load-balancing limitations, and to reduce costs and improve efficiency to promote rapid development of resources. Through novel cogeneration techniques, the present invention optimally utilizes natural resources by most efficiently generating power and storing energy thus enabling solar power to fulfill a baseload power generation as well as a hydrogen fuel niche. 
         [0010]    Intrinsic to all solar power systems, power generation incurs energy in the form of heat where management of this heat fundamentally affects overall efficiency of the generation system. Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP) systems primarily generate heat to drive a heat engine or to flash steam for a turbine; either a turbine or an engine then converts mechanical energy to electrical power by coupling to a generator. This yields relatively low, no greater than about forty per cent, efficiency conversion of solar power to electrical power. 
         [0011]    Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) systems suffer deleterious effects from heat generation. Because photovoltaic cells operate under the principle of photons bombarding a semiconductor therein liberating electrons, and electron mobility diminishes inversely proportional to temperature, heat reduces the power efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Furthermore, based on Weibull survivability models, increases in substrate temperature may exponentially shorten the durability of photovoltaic cells for a given set of environmental conditions. 
         [0012]    Thus, the present invention elucidates heat management techniques for both CSP and CPV systems that enhance efficiency in both systems, improves durability of CPV, and substantially enhances efficiency of energy storage by performing hydrogen electrolysis or ammonia synthesis on high temperature water used to manage the heat in the CSP or CPV system. For instance, while extant polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen electrolyzers have practical electrical power-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies of seventy to eighty per cent using water at standard pressure and temperature, high temperature and pressure steam solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) have reported conversion efficiencies above ninety per cent. Likewise, liquefied ammonia as an energy carrier possesses a greater volumetric energy density based on concentration of hydrogen atoms compared to liquid hydrogen itself Given the electrical power to hydrogen storage efficiency improvement of the present invention, round-trip energy storage and retrieval based on existing hydrogen fuel cells gains approximately ten per cent efficiency in absolute terms, thus enabling cost-competitive baseload functionality, load-balancing and energy delivery transcending common regulatory obstructions. 
         [0013]    The abundance of this heat when properly managed as disclosed herein not only efficiently generates power and efficiently stores energy, but also most efficiently allows refining of raw feedstock, namely desalinating seawater, for hydrogen electrolysis or ammonia synthesis based storage. Thus, the present invention introduces a novel configuration of power generation and energy storage of utmost efficiency while solving feedstock scarcity issues inhibiting rapid deployment of especially CSP systems. 
         [0014]    This present specification herein incorporates by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 entitled: SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR ENERGY EXTRACTING VESSEL NAVIGATION. The invention incorporated by reference applies to remote control of any mobile system that exploits energy from weather patterns that avail formidable amounts of naturally occurring energy. The referenced invention exemplifies an offshore energy recovery system wherein an algorithm optimizes efficiency in the system by accounting for data from weather observations, and from sensors on the mobile structure, while relating these data points to performance models for the mobile structure itself. Its Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) computer servers run Human Machine Interface (HMI) secure software applications which communicate to microprocessor systems running client software with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to allow remote humans to optionally interact and choose mission critical navigation plans. Any mobile structure that extracts energy from offshore weather patterns for renewable energy recovery under remote control, including an embodiment of the present invention, especially benefits from the invention herein incorporated by reference. Specifically, the system embodied within the U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 herein incorporated by reference comprises an algorithm that optimizes energy extraction using yield functions derived from weather and geospatial data and vessel performance models. Thus an embodiment of the present invention benefits from the patent and its continuation patent application herein incorporated by reference by using the path cost algorithm weighing energy extraction yield factors into the cost of travel to guide navigation of vessels for solar power generation embodying the present invention navigated by remote control for optimal solar power recovery and delivery away from overcast weather patterns thereby averting conditions that exacerbate intermittency. 
         [0015]    The present invention reduces the Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) typically associated with solar power systems by primarily eliminating cost of land use in the form of both land lease agreements, and unpredictable up-front regulatory compliance costs such as environmental impact studies. Similarly, the present invention minimizes another factor in the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) calculation that arises from maintenance and operations cost. Because under all cases less severe than catastrophic failure, a mobile structure can always return to a central service facility co-located with distribution where a small crew performs maintenance procedures in an assembly line manner as opposed to a more costly field crew working in potentially harsh environments. Also during the process of energy delivery itself, the mobile structure can continue to extract and store energy from the environment, substantially enhancing overall system energy production. 
         [0016]    As an extension of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 herein incorporated by reference, an addition to the SCADA server side applications which access a Geographic Information System (GIS) may also comprise a database that records resource local spot prices and calculates Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), a variable in a risk/reward evaluation function based on human demand for various commodity products potentially output from an embodiment of the present invention such as pure hydrogen compressed or stored in a hydride; electrical energy in a charged battery; pure oxygen; liquefied ammonia; or desalinated water. Such a function to assess risk/reward facilitates optimal modular response to weather and local spot market conditions, favorably affecting equitable distribution of energy and energy-intensive resources to humankind. 
         [0017]    Therefore, the present invention facilitates the CSP or CPV developer to rapidly deploy offshore their systems in an embodiment of the present invention thereby overcoming the aforementioned limitations of land use restrictions and water scarcity while mitigating resource intermittency risks and mitigating oversubscribed grid risk and grid upgrade costs by navigating to clear weather patterns and by efficiently delivering stored energy to grid or fuel or resource distribution locations closer to densely populated areas where demanded. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a view of an exemplary concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a view of an exemplary concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a view of an exemplary CSP and wind cogeneration system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates a view of an exemplary system utilizing ammonia synthesis energy storage in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The present invention pertains to a mobile buoyant energy recovery system featuring novel solar heat management that ensures highly efficient energy storage and abundant feedstock in combination with a remote control system and algorithm for supervisory control and data acquisition enabling optimal configuration, navigation and autonomous operation of the system. The following description contains specific information pertaining to various embodiments and implementations of the invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that one may practice the present invention in a manner different from that specifically depicted in the present specification. Furthermore, the present specification need not represent some of the specific details of the present invention in order to not obscure the invention. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have knowledge of such specific details not described in the present specification. Others may omit or only partially implement some features of the present invention and remain well within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
         [0023]    The following drawings and their accompanying detailed description apply as merely exemplary and not restrictive embodiments of the invention. To maintain brevity, the present specification has not exhaustively described all other embodiments of the invention that use the principles of the present invention and has not exhaustively illustrated all other embodiments in the present drawings. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary practical embodiment of a concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) system within the scope of the present invention. The vessel outline  100  represents an offshore mobile energy recovery structure in the process of energy extraction and/or energy delivery in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Exemplary embodiments of mobile structure  100  for the present invention include sailing or propelled vessels or barges or any mobile buoyant energy recovery system comprising any solar powered energy conversion system known by one of ordinary skill in the art. While  FIG. 1  depicts a CSP system  103 , subsequently  FIG. 2  illustrates a concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system  203  and one must understand any combination of CSP  103  and CPV  203  energy conversion systems or hybrid systems thereof remain within the scope of the present invention. For instance a system that separates and focuses infrared spectrum sunlight for concentrating thermal energy while elsewhere the same apparatus focuses the visible through ultraviolet spectrum for photovoltaic operation remains an exemplary solar energy extracting system within the scope of the present invention. For the purposes of the present specification of exemplary embodiments of CSP  103 , while this specification primarily describes solar energy converters that employ high temperature electrolysis  109 ,  209 ,  309  as means of hydrogen and oxygen production, a unit  103  that performs thermolysis; catalytic thermolysis; or bio-fuel production with any fuel or raw material as a commodity product with heat as a byproduct, remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The aforementioned solar energy converters embodied in mobile buoyant energy systems  100  represent purely exemplary embodiments by no means restrictive of solar energy converters in mobile buoyant energy system  100  embodiments within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  further depicts mobile structure  100  in the process of energy extraction and/or energy delivery navigating an offshore environment  101 . Note that this representation of an offshore environment  101  is strictly exemplary and that an offshore environment  101  consistent with a description of an ocean; a sea; a lake; a bay; a sound; a channel; a strait; a river; a delta, an estuary, or any large body of fresh, salt, or brackish water, remains well within the scope of an offshore environment  101  for the purposes of the present invention. The exemplary embodiment further comprises a deck  102  for the purpose of mounting one or plural energy conversion devices of similar class, or different classes co-operating in a cogeneration scheme. Particularly upon the deck  102  the CSP  103  or a CPV  203  of the mobile structure  100  extracts heat energy from solar power. 
         [0026]    As previously introduced,  FIG. 1  illustrates a CSP system  103  mounted on the deck  102  of the mobile structure  100 . The present specification makes no restriction as to the configuration of the CSP system  103  for any embodiment of the present invention. For instance, the reflector  104  surface of  FIG. 1  resembles the cross section of a parabolic trough or parabolic dish that reflects sunlight onto a focal point or thermal concentrator  106  centered above the reflector  104 , although a tower-type thermal concentrator  106  centered in the midst of an array of planar reflectors would remain within the scope of the present invention. The solar tracking mounting  105  functions to track the position of the sun and accordingly adjust the position of the reflector  104  to ensure a maximum amount of solar energy reaches the concentrator  106 . As the entire CSP system  103  mounts on, or in severe weather below, the deck  102  of a mobile structure  100  offshore  101 , the algorithm that controls the solar tracking of the reflector  104  by the mounting  105  must take into account and average the periodic displacement of the deck  102  relative to true horizon due to wave motion offshore  101 . To achieve the desired results, the vessel  100  will have inertial displacement sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, and time referenced Global Position Satellite (GPS) tracking, which the vessel&#39;s  100  supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system polls by sampling the data from said inertial displacement sensors and GPS to determine the position in which the mounting  105  sets the reflector  104 . One efficiency improving, cost reducing function that the SCADA system can implement is to moor or set the heading of the vessel  100  in an orientation relative to the equator of the earth to allow simpler one axis solar tracking for the reflector  104  and its mounting  105 . The SCADA system can also implement cleansing the reflector  104  using water or steam from anywhere in the system  100  to enhance CSP  103  performance based on data object tags describing a maintenance schedule database. All these data input to the SCADA system which includes GPS inputs also includes wind and cloud coverage weather prediction to determine best longitude and latitude to place the CSP  103  and to thoroughly map navigational routes based on Velocity Performance Prediction (VPP) and path cost and total yield analysis of the vessel  100  as taught by herein incorporated by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 entitled: SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR ENERGY EXTRACTING VESSEL NAVIGATION. As an extension of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 herein incorporated by reference, an addition to the SCADA server side applications which access a Geographic Information System (GIS) may also comprise a database recording resource local spot prices and calculating Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) reflecting a risk/reward total analysis taking into consideration the variety of CSP  103  and energy and commodity resource storage options availed by a modular mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 , and global commodity local spot prices and future prices into the path cost and total yield analysis. 
         [0027]    For the configuration of  FIG. 1 , the CSP  103  comprises a heat concentrator  106  through which a primary heat exchanger flashes steam from the ballast  128  that underwent distillation through a multi-effect distiller (MED)  127 A, B, C before a pump  130  forces the distilled water  131  into the heat exchanger within the concentrator  106 . 
         [0028]    For sake of simplicity and in order to not obscure the invention, the present specification omitted some valves and pumps understood necessary by one of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, as the distilled water  131  enters the heat exchanger in the concentrator  106  its temperature and pressure rapidly rises and one can assume flow and pressure control valves not shown in the drawing figures that govern the flow of the process detailed herein would comprise any reduction to practice in any embodiment of the present invention. Superheated steam exits  107  from the primary heat exchanger in the concentrator  106  at preferably 800 degrees Celsius and approximately 750 psig or about 50 bar pressure. From there it first enters a Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC)  109  designed such that at the SOEC inlet  108 , pressure and temperature remain constant. While  FIG. 1  depicts the SOEC  109  as positioned under the deck  102  of the vessel  100 , a critical design parameter, the proximity of the CSP  103  to the SOEC  109 , could lead to any operating part of the CSP  103 , up to the reflector  104  and heat concentrator  106  while operating, and any part of the SOEC  109  positioned above or below the deck  102 . Best design practice strives to minimize the length of superheated steam conduit  107 . One design feature which eliminates the conduit  107  by integrating the SOEC  109  in proximity to, or coinciding with, or within the heat concentrator and exchanger  106  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Stowage under the deck  102  provides shelter from adverse environmental conditions  101 . Likewise, in severe weather conditions that could cause damage to the reflector  104 , every component of the CSP  103 , or SOEC  109  can retract below the deck  102 . 
         [0029]    The present discussion of the construction of the SOEC  109  is purely exemplary and by no means restrictive of high temperature electrolyzer typology within the scope and spirit of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1  the SOEC  109  appears to have an extruded cylindrical construction, and while this design may prove most economical and easy to manufacture, an SOEC  109  stack of planar design is not beyond the scope of the present invention. Also, while only one SOEC  109  may appear in the drawing figures, there exists no limitation to the scale or number of units  109  that comprise a high temperature electrolysis portion of an energy storage process embodied in a mobile buoyant energy recovery structure  100  of the present invention. For the SOEC  109  depicted in  FIG. 1 , the solid oxide electrolyte  110  is typically a gastight material comprised of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) with a Nickel Zirconia Cermet porous cathode  111  surrounding the electrolyte  110 , and a Strontium-doped Lanthanum Manganite porous anode  112  lining the inside of the electrolyte  110 . Therefore, in this configuration, and with these materials in the SOEC  109 , oxygen is the charge carrier, and as a voltage is applied to the anode  112  relative to the cathode  111 , oxygen accumulates in the center cavity  113  of the SOEC  109 , as the high pressure superheated steam that entered the SOEC  109  at the inlet  108  becomes enriched with diatomic hydrogen molecules as it traverses the length of the SOEC  109  moving towards its outlet  123 . The operator of the mobile buoyant energy recovery structure  100  may compress and store the oxygen from the center cavity  113  for later distribution; or for any possible environmental  101  remediation benefiting from oxidation; or simply vent the oxygen to the surrounding environment depending upon cost and yield functions modeled by the SCADA servers informing the operator via a GUI, per the herein incorporated by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 entitled: SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR ENERGY EXTRACTING VESSEL NAVIGATION. 
         [0030]    As the hydrogen enriched superheated steam flows past the electrolyzer cathode  111 , the aft section  123  of the SOEC  109  for the embodiment of the present invention represented in  FIG. 1  also comprises a steam turbine  114 . Typical steam turbine  114  operation for this application would preferably have inlet temperatures and pressures towards the upper economic practical limit of materials remaining as close as possible to the constant temperature of 800 degrees Celsius and approximately 750 psig or about 50 bar from the outlet  107  of the heat exchanger of the concentrator  106 . Generally today, the upper economic practical limit of typical steam turbine  114  materials is around 540 degrees Celsius. Thus an embodiment of the SOEC  109  with an integrated steam turbine  114  that includes a heat exchanger and reservoir to store some heat for auxiliary purposes, in addition to the unit  124  shown in  FIG. 1 , a heat exchanger and reservoir intercepting the path of hydrogen enriched superheated steam after the SOEC  109  and before the steam turbine  114 , remains within the scope of the present invention. Other embodiments that have controlled expansion of the path to cool the hydrogen enriched superheated steam after the SOEC  109  and before the steam turbine  114 , also remains within the scope of the present invention. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the steam turbine  114  operates from 800 degrees Celsius and approximately 750 psig or about 50 bar utilizing a configuration of nozzles in stages that gradually expands and cools the hydrogen enriched superheated steam flow at output  123  to a temperature and pressure dependent upon the method of hydrogen storage. The present specification describes two exemplary methods of storing hydrogen extant today, although any other method of hydrogen storage remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
         [0031]    The first exemplary method of hydrogen storage utilizes solid-state reactions in particular, a magnesium hydride tank  125 C in which to store hydrogen, although utilization of other solid-state storage nanotechnology or chemistries such as lanthanum nickel is within the scope of the present invention. Because the magnesium hydride dehydrogenation endothermic reaction occurs at approximately 350 degrees Celsius at below 2 bar, a heat exchanger and reservoir  124  takes the heat from the output of the steam turbine  114  and stores this heat for other processes including possibly for dehydrogenation at a distribution site. For this purpose in this present embodiment, the heat exchanger and reservoir  124  would store the heat and circulate the heat to the hydride tank  125 C during dehydrogenation using synthetic oil or other heat transfer fluid such as Therminol. Thus, for this present embodiment, the steam turbine  114  outputs hydrogen enriched superheated steam at approximately 350 degrees Celsius and less than 20 bar from which the heat exchanger and reservoir  124  takes the heat down to approximately 150 degrees Celsius and 10 bar for hydrogen storage  125 . The storage unit  125  first flows the hydrogen-enriched steam at 150 degrees Celsius through a hydrogen-steam separator  125 A utilizing a Nafion dryer  125 B. A vacuum pump  126  draws the vaporized water  125 D from the 150 degree Celsius hydrogen enriched steam flow through a Nafion dryer  125 B and sends the steam  125 D to a multi effect distillation (MED) unit  127 A, B, C or multi stage flash distillation unit (MSF)  127 A, B, C at 120 degrees Celsius. After the Nafion dryer  125 B, process controls will adjust the pressure of the hydrogen between 2 to 10 bar depending upon temperature to enable the magnesium hydride tank  125 C to absorb the hydrogen from the dryer  125 B. 
         [0032]    An alternative exemplary method of hydrogen storage includes compression for storage within a high pressure tank The act of compressing hydrogen gas demands greater input energy in the form of electrical power for the compressor which, while not shown in  FIG. 1 , would intercept the location after the Nafion dryer  125 B before, for the present exemplary method of hydrogen storage embodiment, a high pressure, Type IV—non-load-bearing non-metal liner wrapped with continuous filament—tank  125 C. Whereas in the previous hydrogen storage method exemplary embodiment the steam turbine  114  output hydrogen enriched steam at 350 degrees Celsius, for a compressed hydrogen gas storage method the steam turbine  114  would output hydrogen enriched steam at approximately 150 degrees Celsius and 10 bar for direct input into a hydrogen-steam separator  125 A utilizing a Nafion dryer  125 B, bypassing the heat exchanger and reservoir  124  for this present embodiment. The greater input to output temperature change in the steam turbine  114  necessitates a configuration of more nozzles in more stages that gradually expands and cools the hydrogen enriched superheated steam flow at output  123  to a lower temperature and pressure, thus increasing total energy output from the steam turbine  114 . This increased total energy output from the steam turbine  114  will preferably upon conversion to electrical power suffice to meet the power demand of the compressor in this present embodiment. Ultimately steam turbine  114  thermal efficiency, compared to alternate energy storage methods&#39; round trip efficiency, reliability, durability, cost, and energy density data all exist addressed by object tags in a SCADA server-side database from which the operator decides risk/reward of deploying one energy storage method over another in a modular mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 . 
         [0033]    Regardless of which hydrogen storage method the operator chooses, the steam turbine  114  embodiment of  FIG. 1  always comprises a rotor  116  that rotates  115  due to the pressure of the hydrogen enriched superheated steam impinging upon the impeller of the steam turbine  114 . The rotation  115  of the rotor  116  coupled to a generator  117  in turn induces a current  119  on the armature winding  118  of the generator  117 . A power regulation circuit  120  regulates voltage and current for all electrical systems on the mobile structure  100 . While not shown in  FIG. 1 , the power regulation circuit  120  may also comprise some means of energy storage, such as a battery or a hydrogen fuel cell attached to the hydrogen storage  125 C, so all electrical systems may remain functional regardless of the rotation  115  of the rotor  116 . While  FIG. 1  depicts the power regulation circuit  120  providing a specific voltage across the cathode  111  through the negative electrode  121  and to the anode  112  through the positive electrode  122 , one may assume all electrical systems on the mobile structure  100 , such as motors for pumps or compressors or solenoids for control valves, navigation or propulsion, lighting, and communications, receive their power through the power regulation circuit  120 . The power regulation circuit  120  of  FIG. 1  likely exists in a distributed topology, with a high voltage  119  distributed to local regulators  120  controlling low voltage processes such as electrolysis  109 . Typical present day embodiments of generator  117  installed with steam turbines  114  comprise an alternating current (AC) induction generator and thus the power regulation circuit  120  may also include a power factor correction circuit to enhance the efficiency of the turbine  114  system providing alternating current electrical power  119  to transient loads  121 ,  122 . 
         [0034]    The power regulation circuit  120  of  FIG. 1  also represents the SCADA control and communications microprocessor system per the herein incorporated by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,024 and its continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/073,891 entitled: SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR ENERGY EXTRACTING VESSEL NAVIGATION. In some embodiments of the present invention, the control and communications microprocessor system co-located with the power regulation circuit  120  of  FIG. 1  within the mobile structure  100  comprises a type of microprocessor computing system known as a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) by one of ordinary skill in the art of industrial process control, thus all processes on the mobile structure  100  initiate and complete and report data under control of a SCADA server side application with corresponding SCADA system control object tags through a microprocessor or PLC represented within controller  120 . 
         [0035]    The remaining functions illustrated in  FIG. 1  include the process of purifying or desalinating the water from the ballast  128 , which contains preferably pre-filtered water from the offshore environment  101 . As previously introduced, the vacuum pump  126  separated the steam  125 D through the Nafion dryer  125 B from the hydrogen during the front end of the storage process, at the hydrogen-steam separator  125 A. The steam  125 D will exit the vacuum pump  126  at approximately 120 degrees Celsius and enter a multi effect distillation (MED) unit  127 A, B, C or multi stage flash distillation unit (MSF)  127 A, B, C; as one of ordinary skill in the field of distillation knows, temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius lead to more rapid corrosion or scale build-up in salt water desalination processes. As shown in  FIG. 1 , water vapor exits the vacuum pump  126  it enters the first stage of the MED  127 A where its heat causes some of the ballast water  128 A pumped from the ballast  128  to evaporate and expand. The vapor under pressure exits  129 A as the brine  128 A drains to the next stage  128 B where the heat of the vapor  129 A flashes more steam  129 B. The second stage repeats the function of the previous stage as steam  129 B flashes steam  129 C yet again as the brine  128 B drains to the third effect stage  128 C. The last effect stage brine  128 C may drain to the ballast  128  or environment  101 , with SCADA object tags defining certain credits if applicable to environmental  101  remediation if oxygen to the environment  101 , or for the cause of abating red tide or other harmful bacteria, algae, or protozoan blooms by releasing chloralkali electrolysis by-products such as lye (NaOH) or bleach (NaOCl), or sea salt concentrated saline solutions  128 C from the process of distillation, to the environment  101  in selected locations, or stored back in the ballast  128  for later industrial use, and inventoried and priced accordingly with SCADA server application data object tags. 
         [0036]    Thus, in the exemplary three stages of multi effect or multi stage flash distillation MED/MSF  127 A, B, C, the temperatures of the heat conducting steam  127 A, B, C vary from 120 degrees Celsius to down to 70 degrees Celsius in the final stage. While the pump  130  begins the cycle over again, it takes steam of varying temperatures and pressures from the distillation first stage  129 A at above 100 degrees Celsius and above one bar or above one atmosphere pressure; from the second stage  129 B at or near 100 degrees Celsius; and from the third stage  129 C above 70 degrees Celsius and possibly just below one atmosphere pressure; to where these multiple flows  129 A, B, C combine then exits  131  the pump  130  under pressure as a liquid again. If it fits within an energy, parts, and maintenance costs budget, reverse osmosis filtration for high purity feedstock may optionally occur here at the exit(s)  131  of the pump  130 , and one may account for such modular distillation and purification design options utilizing SCADA server database application data object tags describing price, durability, maintenance cost and scheduling, yield rates, output purity in parts per million (ppm), et cetera. Be it known that the multi effect distillation process as described herein exists as purely exemplary and not in any way a restrictive embodiment of desalination or purification of water within the scope of the present invention. While the drawing figures in the present specification show three stages or effect processing tanks  127 A, B, C for desalination, these drawing figures exhibit purely exemplary configurations whereby the number or scale of desalination effect or stage processing units have no implied limits. Any water purification process including reverse osmosis that benefits from vast feedstock  101  and from taking energy to purify water from any point in the heat and power processing chain  103 ,  109 ,  114 ,  120  in a mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  remains within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0037]    As previously introduced,  FIG. 2  illustrates a concentrating photovoltaic CPV  203  system embodying an exemplary solar cogeneration system on a mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  within the scope of the present invention. Equivalent to the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the CPV  203  system of  FIG. 2  uses purified ballast  128  water as a heat transfer fluid from the solar power conversion system  203  to the SOEC  209 . In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 2 , a pump  130  forces the distilled water  131  as the coolant into the cooling system  202  for the CPV  203  system. In general, a CPV  203  system will comprise a concentrating lens  204  that focuses sunlight onto a solar photovoltaic cell at the base of the lens and cell assembly  206 . In the present exemplary embodiment, the cooling fluid  131  enters the cooling system  202  through the mounting  205 , conducts heat from the base of the lens and cell assembly  206  and exits the CPV  203  system through high pressure and high temperature conduit  207  to enter the SOEC  209 . There exists a design trade-off mutually constrained by efficiency and durability of the solar cell improving as operating temperatures decrease while the efficiency of the SOEC  209  improves as feedstock temperature increases. Thus one designing the present system must optimize operating temperature, for instance, between 800 degrees Celsius, the preferred temperature of the feedstock for the SOEC  209 , versus lowest temperature possible for the base of the lens and cell assembly  206 . One design feature which eliminates the conduit  207  by integrating the SOEC  209  in proximity to, or coinciding with, or within the base of the lens and cell assembly  206  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Mapping the overall system various and numerous configurations, their efficiency and durability at these various operating temperatures using data object tags in a server database application of a SCADA control system and using this data to decide configuration, operation, or navigation of the mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
         [0038]    The SOEC  209  exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2  represents a fundamental departure from the SOEC  109  exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  due to the CPV  203  system providing electrical current to the SOEC  209 , obviating the need for the steam turbine  114  in the aft section  123  of the SOEC  109  of  FIG. 1 . The mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  of  FIG. 2  realizes a benefit of higher efficiency hydrogen storage by integrating a CPV  203  system with an SOEC  209 . Whereas a typical prior art installation of CPV  203  systems entails connection to the electric grid requiring a circuit known as an inverter to convert the direct current  219  from the CPV  203  to alternating current to the grid with surplus energy from the typical prior art installation theoretically converted to hydrogen; the present invention has the advantage of higher efficiency due to no direct current to alternating current conversion necessary with both photovoltaic generation  203  and electrolysis  209  producing and consuming direct current,  219 ,  221 ,  222  respectively, regulated  220  to corresponding voltages and currents through means such as synchronous switch mode power supply configurations substantially more efficient than inverter circuits. Thus while the CPV  203  system of  FIG. 2  likely generates less heat compared to the CSP  103  system of  FIG. 1 , the CPV  203  system of  FIG. 2  directly and perhaps more cost-effectively generates electricity as an advantage over the CSP  103  system of  FIG. 1 . Corresponding to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  depicts the power regulation circuit  220  providing a specific voltage across the cathode  111  through the negative electrode  221  and to the anode  112  through the positive electrode  222 . One may assume all electrical systems on the mobile structure  100 , such as motors for pumps or compressors or solenoids for control valves, navigation or propulsion, lighting, and communications, receive their power through the power regulation circuit  220 . The power regulation circuit  220  of  FIG. 2  also likely exists in a distributed topology, with a high voltage  219  distributed to local regulators  220  controlling low voltage processes such as electrolysis  209 . While not shown in  FIG. 2 , the power regulation circuit  220  may also comprise some means of energy storage, such as a battery or a hydrogen fuel cell attached to the hydrogen storage  125 C, so all electrical systems may remain functional regardless of sunlight impinging upon the CPV  203  system. The power regulation circuit  220  of  FIG. 2  also represents the SCADA control and communications microprocessor system, which communicates to a central server using data object tags describing temperature, heat, electrical power, solar cell  206  maximum power point tracking control variables, and energy stored from the CPV  203  system and enables an operator to remotely track system efficiency and performance, and decide configuration, operation, or navigation of the mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  presents another exemplary embodiment of a solar cogeneration system within the scope of the present invention. A CSP  103  system corresponding to that of  FIG. 1  generates heat in the form of superheated steam immediately routed  107  to the SOEC  309  of  FIG. 3 . As before, one design feature which eliminates the conduit  107  by integrating the SOEC  309  in proximity to, or coinciding with, or within the heat concentrator and exchanger  106  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The SOEC  309  of  FIG. 3  exhibits a fundamental departure from the SOEC  109  exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  due to a wind turbine  314  system in the embodiment of  FIG. 3  providing electrical current to the SOEC  309 , obviating the need for the steam turbine  114  in the aft section  123  of the SOEC  109  of  FIG. 1 . Note that while depicted in  FIG. 3  as an integrated single vessel  100 , a complete mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  may exist as a single integrated unit  100 , or as a mode of co-operation between separate mobile buoyant structures  100 , each separately performing heat  103 , and electrical  314  power generation, functioning together to produce the demanded commodity  113 ,  124 ,  125 C,  128 ,  129 A, B, C as would a singular integrated structure  100  do as depicted in  FIG. 3 , all remaining within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The wind turbine  314  system of  FIG. 3  perhaps more cost-effectively generates electricity as an advantage over the previous solar cogeneration system embodiments of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . Also, the heat exchanger and reservoir  124  for the embodiment of  FIG. 3  can improve the overall productivity of the mobile buoyant energy recovery structure  100  by providing heat to the feedstock to the SOEC  309  when the CSP  103  does not operate, such as nighttime. However, while the wind turbine  314  system of  FIG. 3  provides a least cost and high power alternative means of electricity generation while the CSP  103  converts maximum solar heat energy at least cost, the SCADA system controlling a mobile buoyant energy system  100  as configured in  FIG. 3  incurs the additional burden of optimizing location and navigation of the structure  100  based on an additional environmental constraint of preferably high wind concurrent with substantially non-overcast weather conditions. Thus, the Geographic Information System (GIS) of the SCADA system controlling a mobile buoyant energy system  100  as configured in  FIG. 3  provides critical weather pattern tracking and weather prediction data addressed by object tags in a SCADA server-side database from which the operator decides risk/reward of deploying one electricity generation method such as the wind turbine  314  system of  FIG. 3 , over another in a modular mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 . 
         [0040]    Corresponding to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  depicts the power regulation circuit  320  providing a specific voltage across the cathode  111  through the negative electrode  321  and to the anode  112  through the positive electrode  322 , one may assume all electrical systems on the mobile structure  100 , such as motors for pumps or compressors or solenoids for control valves, navigation or propulsion, lighting, and communications, receive their power through the power regulation circuit  320 . The power regulation circuit  320  of  FIG. 3  also likely exists in a distributed topology, with a high voltage alternating current  319  distributed to local regulators  320  controlling low voltage processes such as electrolysis  309 . Typical present day embodiments of generator installed within the nacelle  317  comprise an alternating current (AC) induction generator and thus the power regulation circuit  320  may also include a power factor correction circuit to enhance the efficiency of the turbine  314  system providing alternating current electrical power  319  to transient loads  321 ,  322 . While not shown in  FIG. 3 , the power regulation circuit  320  may also comprise some means of energy storage, such as a battery or a hydrogen fuel cell attached to the hydrogen storage  125 C, so all electrical systems may remain functional regardless of the rotation  315  of the rotor  316 . 
         [0041]    The power regulation circuit  320  of  FIG. 3  also represents the SCADA control and communications microprocessor system, which communicates to a central server using data object tags describing temperature, heat, electrical power, and energy stored from the combined wind turbine  314  CSP  103  system and enables an operator to remotely track system efficiency and performance, and decide configuration, operation, or navigation of the mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 . Additional SCADA operation control object tags for the embodiment of  FIG. 3  enable such mobile buoyant energy recovery structure  100  functions as: orienting the nacelle  317  such that the wind turbine  314  does not cast a shadow on the CSP  103 ; altering the pitch of the impeller blades  323  based on wind speed data or rotation  315  sensors; feathering the impeller blades  323  to reduce unwanted drag on the structure  100  when in transit, or to reduce risk of fatigue to the impeller blades  323  or turbine tower  318  when excessively high winds occur; utilizing the turbine tower  318  as a sailing mast for the vessel  100  when in transit; or utilizing heat saved in the heat exchanger and reservoir  124  to enhance productivity of the SOEC  309  by augmenting the heat generated by the CSP  103  or by replacing the source heat during non-operation of the CSP  103 . The foregoing list of functions enabled by SCADA operation control object tags for the embodiment of  FIG. 3  is purely exemplary and any SCADA operation control tags describing any mode of action or process state for any system  103 ,  309 ,  314 ,  320 ,  125  of the embodiment represented in  FIG. 3  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  presents an embodiment of the present invention that utilizes a Solid State Ammonia Synthesis (SSAS)  425  reactor for storage of energy as in hydrogen in molecules of liquid ammonia (NH 3 ) or for storage of ammonia as a feedstock for another industrial process such as fertilizer production. The present specification exemplifies Solid State Ammonia Synthesis SSAS  425 , chosen for its purported highest efficiency of ammonia synthesis processes, and because it uniquely displaces the SOEC  109 ,  209 ,  309  of previous drawing figures because of its high temperature steam intake  407  operating at 550 degrees Celsius. Although  FIG. 4  depicts Solid State Ammonia Synthesis SSAS  425 , one understands that use of any other process to synthesize ammonia, such as Haber Bosch after obtaining hydrogen from electrolysis by any of the aforementioned means  109 ,  209 ,  309  depicted in the previous drawing figures, in an embodiment of mobile buoyant energy recovery systems  100  remains within the scope of the present invention. While illustrated in  FIG. 4  as a single process, any configuration where SSAS  425  or Haber Bosch after electrolysis  109 ,  209 ,  309  proceeds in parallel with any other aforementioned function that fits between the high temperature high pressure steam path  407  starting at 550 to 800 degrees Celsius and returning heat  427  for the water purification process  127 A, B, C at approximately 120 degrees Celsius on a mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Note ammonia synthesis from a mobile buoyant energy system  100  by processes such as SSAS  425 , or electrolysis  109 ,  209 ,  309  followed by Haber Bosch, produces no carbon dioxide, as does present day industry&#39;s prevalent process of ammonia synthesis, Haber Bosch using hydrogen from methane steam reforming (MSR). Thus, the SCADA server side applications which access a Geographic Information System (GIS) also comprise a database recording amount of carbon by-product and calculating Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) reflecting a total cost analysis taking into consideration the amount of carbon by-product incurred, energy consumed, and commodity resource logistics and storage options in comparison to those availed by a modular mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 , and ammonia synthesis  425  and storage process costs into the path cost and total yield analysis. 
         [0043]    A CSP  103  system corresponding to that of  FIG. 1  or a CPV  203  system corresponding to that of  FIG. 2  generates heat in the form of superheated steam immediately routed  407  through the mounting  405  of the solar power system  403  to the SSAS  425  of  FIG. 4 . As before one design feature which eliminates the conduit  407  by integrating ammonia synthesis  425  in proximity to, or coinciding with, or within the solar power system  403  remains within the scope and spirit of the present invention. From the previous paragraph, the reaction in which nitrogen and hydrogen combine to form ammonia occurs at 550 degrees Celsius and thus allows a solar power system  403  to comprise a CPV  203  operating at a cooler temperature compared to that in the embodiment including the SOEC  209 , or a CSP  103  to include an SOEC  109  to produce hydrogen from the steam at the temperatures between 800 degrees Celsius and 550 degrees Celsius, before the ammonia synthesis  425 . Ammonia synthesis  425 , whether SSAS  425  or Haber Bosch after obtaining hydrogen from a SOEC  109 , requires superheated steam  407  at 550 degrees Celsius, Air intake  424  from which to separate nitrogen in an air separation unit, and direct current electricity  421 ,  422 . Either of the aforementioned ammonia synthesis  425  processes releases oxygen  413  as a by-product and thus may be combined with the oxygen from the center cavity  113  of the SOEC  109  and stored or vented to the environment  101 , and, as in previous embodiments, accounted accordingly for as a yielded commodity addressed by a SCADA data object tag in a server database application. From either ammonia synthesis  425  process, surplus heat is exchanged within the reactor  425  to heat water  427  to approximately 120 degrees Celsius, en route to the distillation process,  127 A, B, C, pumped  426  from the ballast  128 . 
         [0044]    The power regulation circuit  420  illustrated in  FIG. 4  provides power to the reactor  425  through electrodes  421 ,  422 , regulated from its source  419 . The source  419  could be any of the aforementioned electricity sources including a CPV  203 , a turbine  114 ,  314 , or an SOEC  109  coupled with a hydrogen fuel cell. While not shown in  FIG. 4 , the power regulation circuit  420  may also comprise some means of energy storage, such as a battery, an ammonia or hydrogen internal combustion engine operatively coupled to an electrical generator, or an ammonia or hydrogen fuel cell attached to storage, so all electrical systems may remain functional regardless of the operation of the solar power system  403 . One may assume all electrical systems on the mobile structure  100 , such as motors for pumps or compressors or solenoids for control valves, navigation or propulsion, lighting, and communications, receive their power through the power regulation circuit  420 . The power regulation circuit  420  of  FIG. 4  also represents the SCADA control and communications microprocessor system, which communicates to a central server using data object tags describing temperature, heat, electrical power, and energy stored from the ammonia synthesis  425  and solar power system  403  and enables an operator to remotely track system efficiency and performance, and decide configuration, operation, or navigation of the mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100 . 
         [0045]    As one can see from the foregoing figures and their descriptions alluding to a multitude of possible configurations of design options for heat exchange, electricity generation, and commodity storage and delivery means previously disclosed herein, there exists a plurality of embodiments of mobile buoyant energy recovery structures  100  within the scope of the present invention. SCADA controlled and optimized configuration, operation, or navigation of one or a fleet of a modularized mobile buoyant energy recovery system  100  and its components  103 ,  203 ,  109 ,  209 ,  309 ,  114 ,  314 ,  124 ,  125 ,  425 ,  127 ,  128 , and subparts thereof as Line Replaceable Units (LRU&#39;s) to produce any of a variety of commodities such as but not limited to hydrogen, oxygen, ammonia, lye, bleach, concentrated saline—sea salt, pure water, any mineral or compound electrochemically or thermo-chemically isolated from seawater, and deliver in and from an offshore environment  101 ; or substantially autonomous modular mobile buoyant structures  100  yielding energy or other energy-intensive commodities from the environment  101 , based on heat and electrical cogeneration whose configuration, operation, or navigation is based on a SCADA computer network of servers informing its operator and clients or PLC&#39;s in the structures  100 , exists as a fundamental departure from prior art. Another area of substantial novelty in the present invention exists as a SCADA system enables operators the ability to decide configuration, operation, and navigation of a modular, morphological natural resource exploitation structure  100  given server data including but not limited to: weather prediction, and weather pattern tracking; commodity prices and future prices at various geographic locations and currency exchange rates; component  103 ,  203 ,  109 ,  209 ,  309 ,  114 ,  314 ,  124 ,  125 ,  425 ,  127 ,  128  and LRU bill-of-material costs; component  103 ,  203 ,  109 ,  209 ,  309 ,  114 ,  314 ,  124 ,  125 ,  425 ,  127 ,  128  and LRU reliability data, maintenance costs and schedules, material safety data sheets; total carbon or toxic material by-product emitted and energy embodied and associated costs for the original manufacture, disposal, maintenance and operations of every component; and thus a database that definitively determines and enables at an operator&#39;s discretion, action based on decisions of a universal levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and commodities; all for various scale, for instance, mega or giga Watt structures  100 , and based on yield analysis and performance models of any one of a plurality of modular structures  100  to determine least cost or highest yield path. The adaptability of the design and operation of an energy or energy-intensive commodity recovery system  100  facilitated by a SCADA system programmed to optimize resource allocation over vast domains  101  and to most economically and expeditiously respond to alleviate scarcity or emergency conditions for humanity remains the highest concept to which the present invention claims novel priority. 
         [0046]    From the preceding description of the present invention, this specification manifests various techniques for use in implementing the concepts of the present invention without departing from its scope. Furthermore, while this specification describes the present invention with specific reference to certain embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that one could make changes in form and detail without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. This specification presented embodiments in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. All parties must understand that this specification does not limit the present invention to the previously described particular embodiments, but asserts the present invention&#39;s capability of many rearrangements, modifications, omissions, and substitutions without departing from its scope. 
         [0047]    Thus, a solar cogeneration vessel has been described.