6533b7cffe1ef96bd1259442

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Techno-economic evaluation of Reverse Electrodialysis process in different real environments

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Salinity Gradient Power is a promising renewable energy source based on the recovery of the chemical potential released from the mixing of solutions at different concentrations. Natural salinity gradients are extensively available worldwide in natural reservoirs. Reverse Electrodialysis is an innovative technology able to perform a direct conversion of the energy of mixing into electricity. Salinity gradients coming from natural resources or from human activities are worldwide available. In the present work a number of different scenarios, including natural resources (e.g. rivers, seas, lakes and salt ponds), industrial/urban wastes (e.g. brine and treated wastewaters) are analysed. The aim of the present work is to present a techno-economic model able to evaluate the potential and the economic feasibility of the RED process for the selected different existing scenarios. A RED model already developed by our group and widely validated is used to estimate the actual amount of power that can be harvested from real salinity gradients. For each scenario, also the theoretical mixing free energy and the yield are calculated. The results from the process model are used to carry out an economic analysis providing the LCOE for three different stack sizes (0.1x0.1, 0.5x0.5 and 1.0x1.0 m2) in each scenario. Furthermore, a perspective analysis was performed considering future membranes with lower specific costs and higher performance. Results suggest that the adoption of high performing membranes in scenarios with large difference in the streams salinity may lead to LCOE values competitive of even 0.10 €/kWh, highly competitive to other energy technologies.