A team of researchers has found the most powerful source of energy in history, which is easily produced with a slight mix of water and light.
This groundbreaking project joins the discovery of energy in Antarctica, marking a significant advancement in the field of renewable energies.
Blue Energy: a more powerful source of energy
There are several types of energy in the world, some renewable and others non-renewable. Within the first group, we find wind, solar, and hydropower, among others. However, blue or osmotic energy, although less known, is emerging as one of the most promising renewable sources for the future.
The future of the planet lies in the replacement of fuels with renewable energies, promoting environmental balance and avoiding the use of polluting resources.
How does blue energy work?
Blue energy is generated when the saltier seawater comes into contact with freshwater, which has a lower salt concentration.
Similar to hydropower or tidal energy, blue energy originates from oceans and rivers. When freshwater interacts with saltwater, the difference in salinity becomes a source of renewable energy. This process does not require extraordinary conditions, allowing for continuous operation.
Water and Light: Key Elements
Osmotic energy can be created with water, salt, and a membrane just three atoms thick. A semipermeable membrane separates two liquids with different salt concentrations, allowing salt ions to pass through until the concentrations equalize. The moving ions generate electricity.
Researchers at the Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed an osmotic energy generation system with unprecedented efficiency.
The innovation is based on an ultrathin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) membrane, only three atoms thick, separating two liquid compartments. Ions pass through a nanopore in the membrane, generating electric current.
Immense Potential
The thinner the membrane, the more current is generated. The properties of the MoS2 material allow positively charged ions to pass while rejecting negatively charged ones, creating a voltage between the two liquids. This voltage causes the flow of current generated by the passage of ions.
The researchers assure that this new osmotic energy system has immense potential to become a clean and sustainable energy source in the future.
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