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Power of osmosis to deliver eco-friendly energy

The world’s first test plant to harness osmotic power, a new emission-free source of energy, opened on Tuesday in Norway. Nestled amid pine-covered hills on the banks of the Oslo fjord, 60 km south of the Norwegian capital, the facility will exploit the energy produced when fresh water meets seawater.

Statkraft, the Norwegian energy firm behind the test plant, says osmotic power could produce up to 1,600-1,700 terawatt hours worldwide — the equivalent of half of the energy generated in the EU today.

“Osmotic power has great potential,” says Arild Skedsmo, head of climate and energy at WWF Norway. “In theory the power is available and it’s an emission-free way of producing energy.”

He adds: “This is an immature technology. But like all renewables, we need a whole range of technologies to be available. Osmotic power can definitely be part of the solution.”

Statkraft says osmotic power would be especially suited for generating electricity for large cities. “Many are situated at the point where large rivers flow into the sea,” says Sverre Gotaas, senior vice-president for innovation and growth at Statkraft. “So you would not need to transport the electricity over long distances.”

Another advantage, argues Mr. Gotaas, is that a commercial plant would be modest in size, but still produce a significant amount of energy. “A facility the size of a football field could generate 25 megawatts — enough to supply 30,000 households,” he says.

However, Mr. Skedsmo at WWF Norway sounds a note of caution, explaining that an osmotic plant could have the same environmental impact as a hydropower facility. “The infrastructure built can have an impact on the biodiversity of the area ... so it’s important to choose the right location,” he says.

The new technology is based on the principle of osmosis, the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane, which is how plants draw water from the soil. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2009

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