[ExI] Osmotic power plant

[spike]

> ...On Behalf Of BillK
> Subject: Re: [ExI] Osmotic power plant
> 
> On 11/25/09, Tamás Pardy wrote:
> > "The company estimates that the global potential of osmotic 
> power is  
> > equivalent to half of the European Union’s current energy 
> production."
> >
> >  Does that entail ALL energy sources? (that is, nuclear as 
> well?) What  
> > do you think? Because if put that way, this would be stunningly  
> > amazing...

> 
> Remember this is PR fluff. They have built a small pilot 
> plant which is totally uneconomic, using grants from 
> government and EU.
> Guess what?  - They want more grant money.
> 
> <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/25/osmosis-pla
> nt-emission-free-energy>
> 
> They need a five times improvement in their membrane plus a 
> large increase in electric power pricing, plus more partners 
> , plus more money, etc.....
> 
> Don't hold your breath.
> 
> BillK

Ja I agree with BillK.  We can produce a little power by mixing fresh water
with sea water.  However it is wildly inefficient, as determined by how much
entropy is created vs how little power.  Furthermore, the fresh water is
much more valuable than the little bit of energy you can extract by wasting
it.

I hope this does point out how wasteful it is to dump fresh water directly
into the sea, as we do now in river deltas.  We shouldn't be doing that.

spike