PROJECT BLUE REVOLUTION

In June of 1992, the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sponsored a strategic planning workshop , involving 35 ocean technologists representing the Atlantic, Gulf, an d Pacific marine communities, to develop a proactive plan for the comm ercialization of our national Exclusive Economic Zone resources. This meeting was the culmination of a series of gatherings held over the pa st decade, each treating specific ocean applications. The blue-ribbon panel recommended the consolidation of all ocean resource development activities within the federal government, and named the Department of Commerce as the ideal agency to manage this office, congressional over sight hearings to reestablish ocean priorities, and a broad spectrum o f major ocean enterprises for the 21st century. During this same perio d an international workshop was held in Hawaii with 50 invited special ists from six countries to discuss the merits of a cooperative program identified as Project Blue Revolution. The attendees determined that a 1 ha (100,000 sq ft) Boating platform powered by ocean thermal energ y conversion and at a projected cost of $500,000,000 to serve as an in cubator for facilitating the commercialization of ocean resources and supporting marine science research was a feasible venture.