Getting Power From Salty Water

Alternative fuel generation technologies all have one kind or another obstacles. Wind doesn't blow all the time and sunlight is blocked by cloud even during daytime. In Norway, scientists has found another way of generating energy, it is through the osmotic pressure between salty and non-salty water through a very thin membrane. Here are a few quotes from Forbes magazine:
"Seawater and freshwater, filtered to remove silt, are fed into pipes which lead to a membrane system, made up of spiral coils to maximize surface area. The salt of the seawater draws the fresh water across the membrane, leading to a build-up of pressure which forces water through the turbine, generating electricity."
So far no large scale commercial application wasn't made due to not finding or manufacturing membrane that can withstand enough water pressure and at the same time keeping salt and non-salt water being separated. However, this Norwegian company has found or produced that "magic membrane" "that can work for a small-scale plant, though it's not quite enough for a larger operation."

Read the full article from link below:
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/06/18/european-energy-innovations-tech-innovationeu08-cx_vr_0618energy.html

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