Electric power generated by Earth rotation through non-rotating axisymmetric magnetic field

This study investigates the potential for electric power generation by the Earth as it rotates within the non-rotating, axisymmetric component of the magnetic field. To understand underlying physics two scenarios are considered. The first is an idealized case in which the Earth is entirely covered by ocean; in this configuration, no power generation occurs due to the balance between the Lorentz force and the induced electric field. The second scenario incorporates a realistic distribution of continents and oceans which have different electric conductance. The electric field is obtained by solving the equation for electric potential. The field reveals regions where its intensity is greatest — referred to as high-energy zones. Each of these areas belongs to one of two types of land formations: island and peninsula. A common feature among them is the presence of two opposing coasts — the geographic configuration that promotes the convergence of equipotential lines between coasts, resulting in large gradients of the electric potential and, correspondingly, large magnitude of the electric field. Two representative examples of such zones were considered: the eastern Siberia (Russia) and Alaska (USA). In each area, several coast-to-coast sections were analyzed. The estimated possible power on the sections ranges from 30 to 45 megawatts for East Siberia and from 30 to 40 megawatts for Alaska. These results should be regarded as theoretical estimates; actual power generation can only be determined through in-situ measurements of the electric field in the areas.