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How Japan’s first osmotic power plant turns saltwater into energy

How Japan’s first osmotic power plant turns saltwater into energy
Source: interestingengineering
Author: @IntEngineering
Published: 8/25/2025

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Japan has launched Asia’s first osmotic power plant in Fukuoka, marking the world’s second commercial-scale facility after Denmark’s 2023 installation. The plant began operations on August 5, 2025, and is expected to generate 880,000 kilowatt-hours annually, enough to power approximately 220 households. The electricity produced will support a local desalination facility. Osmotic power harnesses the natural movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from a less salty to a saltier solution, creating pressure that drives a turbine and generator. This method offers a renewable energy source that operates continuously, unaffected by weather or daylight, and emits no carbon dioxide at the point of generation. The Fukuoka plant uses concentrated seawater brine from desalination and treated sewage water to maximize the salinity gradient, enhancing energy output. Despite the concept’s simplicity, scaling osmotic power has faced challenges, including energy losses from pumping and membrane friction, which reduce net energy gains. Advances

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energyrenewable-energyosmotic-powerclean-energyJapan-energy-innovationsalinity-gradient-powersustainable-power-generation