The Norwegian company Statkraft opened the first prototype osmosis power station in the world. The prototype generates energy by using the power that is released when freshwater blends with seawater. For more than ten years Statkraft researches osmosis as a renewable and emissionfree energy source. This way of energy-production can contribute to a worldwide environmentally friendly production of energy.
“This new technology generates energy just by mixing water. New solutions to stop climate change, seem to be closer than we think. I am therefore optimistic about the future”, says Bård Mikkelsen, CEO for Statkraft. The prototype has a limited capacity and is mainly used for testing and developing the technology. The aim is to build a commercial osmosis power station within a few years.
The capacity of osmotic energy worldwide is valued at 1.600 – 1.700 TWh a year. This equals 50 percent of European’s total energy production. Osmosis power stations can actually be built at any location where freshwater flows into the ocean. They do not cause noise or pollution and they can be integrated in existing industrial areas, for example in cellars of industrial buildings.
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