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Salinity gradient energy potential in Colombia considering site specific constraints

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  • Alvarez-Silva, Oscar
  • Osorio, Andrés F.

Abstract

The theoretical potential of salinity gradient energy in river mouth systems is the maximum amount of energy that can be extracted from the controlled mixing of river water and seawater. It is calculated using the Gibbs free energy of mixing equations considering as inputs the mean rivers' discharge and the long term salinity of the ocean basin. However, this theoretical amount of energy can be far from the reality because both, the river discharge and the salinity of the ocean, have natural variations in different time scales. In this paper we expose the site constraints related with the variability of the salinity gradients that must be considered in order to make a more accurate estimation of the available resources and calculate the so-called site specific potential for the most important and feasible river mouths of Colombia. The results show that in Colombia a mean site specific potential of 15.6 GW can be achieved, mainly in the Magdalena River mouth (97% of total). But more important, the results show that the salinity structure of the studied systems have different responses to variations of the environmental forcing, despite being located in the same ocean basin, and therefore, the energy potential for each river mouth has different variability patterns at different time scales. Decreases of the estimated energy potential up to 69% were found when the site specific potential is calculated instead of the theoretical potential. This prove that more detailed input data than long term discharges and salinities are necessary in order to make accurate estimations of local and regional salinity gradient energy potentials.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvarez-Silva, Oscar & Osorio, Andrés F., 2015. "Salinity gradient energy potential in Colombia considering site specific constraints," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 737-748.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:74:y:2015:i:c:p:737-748
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.08.074
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ortega, Santiago & Stenzel, Peter & Alvarez-Silva, Oscar & Osorio, Andrés F., 2014. "Site-specific potential analysis for pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) power plants – The León River example," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 466-474.
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    1. Etzaguery Marin-Coria & Rodolfo Silva & Cecilia Enriquez & M. Luisa Martínez & Edgar Mendoza, 2021. "Environmental Assessment of the Impacts and Benefits of a Salinity Gradient Energy Pilot Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-24, June.
    2. Milad Shadman & Mateo Roldan-Carvajal & Fabian G. Pierart & Pablo Alejandro Haim & Rodrigo Alonso & Corbiniano Silva & Andrés F. Osorio & Nathalie Almonacid & Griselda Carreras & Mojtaba Maali Amiri &, 2023. "A Review of Offshore Renewable Energy in South America: Current Status and Future Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-34, January.
    3. Mendoza-Zapata, Luis & Maturana-Córdoba, Aymer & Mejía-Marchena, Ricardo & Cala, Anggie & Soto-Verjel, Joseph & Villamizar, Salvador, 2023. "Unlocking synergies between seawater desalination and saline gradient energy: Assessing the environmental and economic benefits for dual water and energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    4. He, Wei & Wang, Yang & Elyasigomari, Vahid & Shaheed, Mohammad Hasan, 2016. "Evaluation of the detrimental effects in osmotic power assisted reverse osmosis (RO) desalination," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 608-619.
    5. Milad Shadman & Corbiniano Silva & Daiane Faller & Zhijia Wu & Luiz Paulo de Freitas Assad & Luiz Landau & Carlos Levi & Segen F. Estefen, 2019. "Ocean Renewable Energy Potential, Technology, and Deployments: A Case Study of Brazil," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-37, September.
    6. Alvarez-Silva, O.A. & Osorio, A.F. & Winter, C., 2016. "Practical global salinity gradient energy potential," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1387-1395.
    7. Essalhi, Mohamed & Halil Avci, Ahmet & Lipnizki, Frank & Tavajohi, Naser, 2023. "The potential of salinity gradient energy based on natural and anthropogenic resources in Sweden," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).

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