The 1 MW plant started a demonstration in September and aims to put the membrane to continuous operation.
Hollow fiber forward osmosis (FO) membranes manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. have been adopted at a first of its kind osmotic power plant in Denmark. The pilot plant is operated by Danish venture firm SaltPower ApS with support from industrial machinery maker Danfoss A/S and engineering firm Semco Maritime A/S. The plant started a demonstration in September and aims to put the membrane to continuous operation.
The osmotic power plant generates electricity by using energy derived from the difference in the salt concentration between freshwater and geothermal water, or saline water pumped up from underground wells. When saline water comes in contact with fresh water over the FO membrane, which filters out salt content from saline water, water currents are created in the saline water due to the difference in osmotic pressures. These currents turn the turbine for generating electricity. Osmotic power using geothermal water is attracting attention as a novel renewable energy that, unlike solar or wind power, is unaffected by weather or time of day.
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