NAMS 2002 Workshop - ICOM 2008

Osmotically Driven Membrane Processes – 5
Tuesday July 15, 11:00 AM-11:30 AM, O’ahu/Waialua
Osmotic Power - A New, Renewable Energy Source
S. Skilhagen (Speaker), Statkraft AS, Norway
T. Holt, SINTEF, Scandinavia
J. Dugstad, Statkraft AS, Norway, jon.dugstad@statkraft.com
Osmotic power is a relatively new energy conversion concept even though
osmosis has been known for several hundred years. Only 30-35 years ago, Prof.
Sidney Loeb and his team at UCLA utilised the natural knowledge and proposed
methods for the utilisation of osmotic pressure in power generation using
membranes.
In the eighties and nineties, membrane technology was introduced successfully
in many industrial applications and efficient semi-permeable membranes became
available. In the late nineties the efficient transfer of mechanical energy be-
tween fluids was also made possible. All the basic technology components
necessary for efficient osmotic power production are therefore in principle
available. New and more energy efficient membrane technology has been
developed during the last few years.
During the last decades the increased global energy consumption, together with
increased focus on the environment, demands for new soruces of
environmentaly friendly energy. Osmotic power can represent one of the
solutions for these challenges.
Statkraft, a North European electricity generator, is now planning to build an
osmotic power plant prototype to further verify the osmotic power system.
Throughout the last 10 years, developments has led to believe that it is possible
to develop the necessary membrane technology and the construction of the first
osmotic power prototype will be completed in 2008. The commercial potential of
osmotic power is identified and a wide R&D programme involving research
centres and commercial developers on three continents are currently in progress.