Saltwater + Freshwater = Blue Energy
by Derek Markham in Blue Energy, Saltwater
Blue energy, or reverse electrodialysis, generates electricity through the convergence of fresh and salt water using artificial semi-permeable membranes. The technology is currently in use in the Netherlands, but the possibilities for its application exist wherever saltwater and freshwater mix. It’s not a new discovery, but until now, the cost of the membranes has been prohibitive for most applications.
Also called osmotic power or pressure retarded osmosis, blue energy capitalizes on the chemical differences between saltwater and freshwater. A concentrated salt solution and fresh water are brought into contact through an alternating series of anion exchange membranes (AEM) and cation exchange membranes (CEM). The chemical potential difference generates a voltage over each membrane and the overall potential of the system is the sum of the potential differences.
Here’s a short animation of the process:
Sound like Greek to you? I have to admit that I don’t fully understand the scientific principle behind the technology, but because this is a sustainable, non-polluting energy source, applicable wherever a large estuary is located, I can really get behind it. There are many places around the globe where this could be deployed, bringing safe, renewable energy to the masses through a natural energy source. One estimate is that blue energy could supply up to 7% of the world’s energy needs. That’s significant.
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Posted on Mar 09, 2009
blue energy, reverse electrodialysis, salinity gradient power
About the Author
Derek Markham
Derek Markham is husband, father, and writer based in Colorado, with a passion for all things sustainable. For the last ten years, he's worked in the natural foods industry, most recently running a small co-operative grocery store. Derek enjoys sharing tips, lessons learned, and resources for going green, simple living, and natural parenting. In his personal time, he loves to ride his bike (an 80s Trek singlespeed), go bouldering and slacklining, and he can usually be found in the middle of about ten different books. You can also find him on other sites including Twitter, Twilight Earth, Natural Papa, and Green Options.One Response to “Saltwater + Freshwater = Blue Energy”
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Katie K.
Mar 09, 2009
Sounds promising! Turns out a company called Redstack in the Netherlands started experimenting with it last June. So far, the experiment is only yielding enough power to run a vacuum cleaner, but it’s a start. Where ever you have a large body of salt water meet fresh water, you can produce blue energy. They even say it would have very little impact on the location because the equipment could be placed underground. Read more: http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/61/blue-energy/