World’s First Osmotic Power Plant Opens

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Norwegian engineers have successfully demonstrated a hydro-osmotic powerplant utilising the frsh and sea water as feedstocks.

The world’s first osmotic power plant opened today at Tofte, outside of Oslo. And it included a royal kickoff from the Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, who pushed the button that set the turbines in motion.

The plant has been developed over the past year by Norwegian state-owned electricity company Statkraft, its Head of Osmotic Power Stein Erik Skilhagan told the Cleantech Group today. It generates power from energy retrieved from the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and river water.

This technology could prove quite useful if water quality is not an issue and membranes can be built to withstand high pressures. One of the main uses could be desalinsation and water treatment in coastal regions near (polluted) rivers.