Scientists are developing a membrane that can harvest clean energy from estuaries – here’s how it works

According to findings published in the journal ACS Energy Letters, scientists have created an innovative membrane that can generate renewable energy by harnessing the power of salt.

This breakthrough technology could help us tap into a huge new source of clean energy where rivers meet the sea.

The key is in estuaries, those beautiful coastal areas where fresh and salt water mix. It turns out that the difference in salt concentration between two water sources can be used to generate electricity – a process called osmotic energy.

According to ACS Chemistry for Life, scientists are working on ways to capture this “blue” energy, and their latest membrane design shows great promise. In lab tests, it produced more than twice the power of current commercial options. This is a big step forward in making this renewable energy source more practical and efficient.

How it’s working? The membrane works like a “salt battery”. It has special channels that allow electrically charged salt particles to flow from the salty side to the freshwater side. This creates a pressure difference that generates an electric current.

Meanwhile, the thoughtful design minimizes drag to help electrons flow more freely, increasing energy output.

The new membrane is not only efficient, but also environmentally friendly. To build it, the team used sustainable materials such as cellulose and conductive polymers. In a simulated estuary environment, it produced clean energy continuously for 16 days. This is great news in terms of reliability and real potential.

This salty solution could be a game-changer in expanding our clean energy mix. By harnessing osmotic energy, we can generate more carbon-free electricity to power our homes and cities.

This means less dependence on climate-disrupting pollutants and a safer and healthier future for our communities.

Although the technology is still in development, the researchers say their project shows that osmotic power is becoming increasingly possible. Thanks to such innovations, we are approaching the day when we will be able to harness the enormous energy of the world’s estuaries – without the need to use oil platforms or gas pipelines. Simply the natural power of salt and water, working for us and our planet.

Next time you’re kayaking or bird watching in the estuary, take a moment to appreciate this amazing ecosystem. Not only is it beautiful, but it could also become our next great source of clean, renewable energy.

Here’s how to build a brighter, more sustainable world, one salt gradient at a time.

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