Monday, November 30, 2009

Norway embraces Osmotic Power


Osmotic Power is when electricity is produced by utilizing pressure built up in salt water. The pressure build up happens when salt water, comes in contact with fresh water. By virtue of a higher salt content, salt water exert pressure on fresh water to move towards salt water, fresh water does so by diluting the salt water. A membrane in between the salt water and fresh water, blocks the two from directly mixing. Then, when more fresh water moves towards the salt water chamber, the pressure builds up due to the high volume of pressure in the salt water chamber. That is when the pressure is utilized through letting high pressure water on to the turbine, which in turn rotates generators.


The Norway based company Statkraft, has been doing research for 10 years on this process, to make it commercially viable. According to researchers, the global potential of Osmotic power is expected to be around 1700 Twh per annum, which is equivalent to half the European Unions electricity production. Since there are so many fresh water rivers flowing into oceans, Osmosis power is rated higher, and a viable industrial development option.

4 comments:

  1. Just discovered your blog.. great stuff! Keep it up!

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  2. Hey?? Where have you gone?? Your blog is great...

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  3. Hello! I have seen many interesting technologies! I am a technologist!

    Using new ideas is cool! But, I would prefer if you link to their scientific project data. Will this make your blogs cooler? YES! You get to share your opinion with me :)

    Keep up the interesting stuff. Sharing ideas is #1. They inspire our "little scientists" and geeks!

    Have you read any of my blogs? Might give you some hints, to keep your cool posts short and cool! Sorry, my blogs are kind of long and infinite in nature.

    Check out my green blogs, not the hot ones ;)

    Twitter - deepgreendesign

    Enjoy!

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  4. I am glad to see Norway leading the way with making the world a better place to live. We can learn many things from others and make a better world for our children if we are willing.

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