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Blue energy: Current technologies for sustainable power generation from water salinity gradient

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  • Jia, Zhijun
  • Wang, Baoguo
  • Song, Shiqiang
  • Fan, Yongsheng

Abstract

“Salinity energy” stored as the salinity difference between seawater and freshwater is a large-scale renewable resource that can be harvested and converted to electricity, but extracting it efficiently as a form of useful energy remains a challenge. With the development of membrane science and technology, membrane-based techniques for energy extraction from water salinity, such as pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electro-dialysis, have seen tremendous development in recent years. Meanwhile, many other novel methods for harvesting exergy from water mixing processes, such as electrochemical capacitor and nano-fluidic energy harvesting systems, have been proposed. In this work, an overview and state-of-the-art of the current technologies for sustainable power generation from the water salinity gradient are presented. Characteristics of these technologies are analyzed and compared for this particular application. Based on these entropic energy extracting methods, the water salinity, as the “blue energy”, will be another source of renewable energy to satisfy the ever-growing energy demand of human society.

Suggested Citation

  • Jia, Zhijun & Wang, Baoguo & Song, Shiqiang & Fan, Yongsheng, 2014. "Blue energy: Current technologies for sustainable power generation from water salinity gradient," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 91-100.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:31:y:2014:i:c:p:91-100
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2013.11.049
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    8. Chen, Xi & Luo, Zuoqing & Long, Rui & Liu, Zhichun & Liu, Wei, 2022. "Impacts of transmembrane pH gradient on nanofluidic salinity gradient energy conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 440-449.
    9. Ewaoche John Okampo & Nnamdi Nwulu & Pitshou N. Bokoro, 2022. "Economic and Reliability Assessment of Hybrid PRO-RO Desalination Systems Using Brine for Salinity Gradient Energy Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Konstantinos Zachopoulos & Nikolaos Kokkos & Costas Elmasides & Georgios Sylaios, 2022. "Coupling Hydrodynamic and Energy Production Models for Salinity Gradient Energy Assessment in a Salt-Wedge Estuary (Strymon River, Northern Greece)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.
    11. Tawalbeh, Muhammad & Al-Othman, Amani & Abdelwahab, Noun & Alami, Abdul Hai & Olabi, Abdul Ghani, 2021. "Recent developments in pressure retarded osmosis for desalination and power generation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    12. Zappa, William & Junginger, Martin & van den Broek, Machteld, 2019. "Is a 100% renewable European power system feasible by 2050?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 1027-1050.
    13. Tufa, Ramato Ashu & Pawlowski, Sylwin & Veerman, Joost & Bouzek, Karel & Fontananova, Enrica & di Profio, Gianluca & Velizarov, Svetlozar & Goulão Crespo, João & Nijmeijer, Kitty & Curcio, Efrem, 2018. "Progress and prospects in reverse electrodialysis for salinity gradient energy conversion and storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 290-331.
    14. Bassel A. Abdelkader & Mostafa H. Sharqawy, 2022. "Challenges Facing Pressure Retarded Osmosis Commercialization: A Short Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-24, October.
    15. Wan, Chun Feng & Chung, Tai-Shung, 2016. "Energy recovery by pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) in SWRO–PRO integrated processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 687-698.
    16. Naghiloo, Ahmad & Abbaspour, Majid & Mohammadi-Ivatloo, Behnam & Bakhtari, Khosro, 2015. "Modeling and design of a 25 MW osmotic power plant (PRO) on Bahmanshir River of Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 51-59.
    17. Naghiloo, Ahmad & Abbaspour, Majid & Mohammadi-Ivatloo, Behnam & Bakhtari, Khosro, 2015. "GAMS based approach for optimal design and sizing of a pressure retarded osmosis power plant in Bahmanshir river of Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1559-1565.

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