Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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AKE: Arbeitskreis Energie

AKE 2: Renewable Energy: Hydro Power, Osmosis

AKE 2.2: Talk

Monday, March 26, 2012, 10:30–10:45, A 151

Osmotic Power Plants — •Florian Dinger, Ulrich Platt, and Tobias Tröndle — Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Umweltphysik

An energy of around 1.4 MJ per cbm is released when fresh water mixes with oceanic salt water (e.g. at a river mouth). This form of renewable energy is called osmotic power and is linked to the mixing entropy. Global osmotic power resources have a theoretical potential of 14000 TWh/a (equivalent to 70% of the global electric power consumption in 2008). Osmotic power could therefore be an option to complement renewable power production from wind and solar plants. The talk will describe the principle of an osmotic power plant and which settings are essential for the optimal performance. Under present economic conditions an osmotic power plant is not yet competitive. However, even with present membrane technologies profitability could be achieved when electricity prices will increase somewhat: generating costs between 6 and 13 cents/kWh appear feasible. A discussion of potential locations for osmotic power plants will conclude the talk.