Can osmosis power the future? Japan launches Asia’s first plant
Japan opens world’s second osmotic power plant
- Japan has switched on its first osmotic power plant in Fukuoka, marking a significant advancement in the pursuit of reliable, low-carbon energy.
- This facility, operational since early August, is only the second of its kind globally, following a plant established in Denmark in 2023.
- The plant is designed to produce approximately 880,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, and will power a nearby desalination plant supplying fresh water to Fukuoka city.
- Osmotic power generates electricity by harnessing the difference in salt concentration between seawater and freshwater across a semipermeable membrane, creating pressure to spin a turbine.
- While still in its early stages, proponents highlight osmotic power's advantage of providing a continuous energy supply, unaffected by weather, offering a symbolic addition to Japan's energy diversification efforts.