INES Nano Tech - Case study

First developments in utilizing nano structures to improve the energy yield of salinity gradient            technologies were made in 2013. In their Article “Giant osmotic energy conversion measured in a single transmembrane boron nitride nanotube”, Alessandro Siiria et al   detailed the results of inserting a single boron nanotube into a hole drilled into an impermeable, electrically insulating membrane, a modification of the Reverse Electrodialysis process.

Through this modification, power densities were increased by three orders of magnitude over that of conventional RED methods (power densities were 1000 times greater than conventional RED). These results are still in the context of laboratory conditions, with ideal settings. Currently, Nano-based Salinity gradient power generation is being investigated by IMIEU-partnered start-ups such as Blue Energy Leap (Lausanne, Switzerland), and by France-based Sweetch Energy.

Also, global demand for Lithium has been on the rise, with new battery technologies being developed for electronics applications, energy storage, electrification of transport, etc. Terrestrial lithium reserves are mainly concentrated in granite pegmatite type deposits (spodumene and petalite ores), salt lake brines, seawater and geothermal waste water streams. Among them, the reserves of lithium resources in salt lake brine, seawater and geothermal water are 70–80% of the total. One of the other applications of Salinity Gradient Technologies could be in the extraction of lithium from seawater. Projects such as the SEArcular MINE project in Europe have been initiated to develop methods to extract lithium, magnesium, and other critical elements from the sea, while preserving the broad aims of circularity, and the circular economy.