"ENERGY: Osmotic power generators harvest energy from sea"

Running desalination plants in reverse in order to produce electricity, rather than cleanse salt from water, was made possible by the invention of the pressure exchanger by Energy Recovery Inc. Look for osmotic energy generating plant to begin popping up on coastlines worldwide over the next few years. R.C.J.


Energy Recovery Inc. has re-engineered its pressure exchangers, which enable fresh water to be derived from salt water worldwide in desalination plants, to run in reverse systems that generated power from mixing fresh- with salt-water. The first pilot plant, constructed by Norwegian-government owned renewable-energy company Statkraft is up and running. If successful, Statkraft plans to replicate its plants across the globe potentially generating enough energy to satisfy up to 50 percent of Europe's needs.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221901504