Mix water with water to make electricity

Estuaries, where water flows to the sea, can release a lot of energy

When the river pours into the sea, a large source of energy is released due to the salinity difference between the two types of water. Scientists are taking advantage of this energy to generate electricity.

The Wetsus Research Center (Netherlands), the SINTEF Scientific Research Institute, Statkraft and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim (Norway) are experimenting with a technological process that allows river water to be mixed with sea water. special membrane, exploiting that energy to turn the turbine to produce electricity.

Initial test results are encouraging, but the big challenge now is to further improve the ability to release energy through the permeable membranes during freshwater exposure, while reducing shear The cost of producing this high tech filter cartridge. The research team hopes to complete the technological process and put it into use between 2010 and 2015.