This pilot installation on the Afsluitdijk is the world's first pilot installation to test the generation of energy from salt and fresh water in practice. In this pilot plant, the entire chain from intake - pre-purification - energy generation - and finally the supply of electricity to the grid - is being investigated on a large test scale (50 kW).
The pilot plant will be used for a joint project of FUJIFILM, Wetsus and REDstack, in which the Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) technology will be extensively researched and tested.
With the (RED) technology it is possible to harvest Blue Energy (energy gained from the difference in salt concentration between salt and fresh water). By passing the salt and fresh water through membranes, a voltage difference is created that is converted into electrical energy.
Blue Energy is a sustainable technology that can generate energy 24 hours a day, free of CO2. When the tests are successful, upscaling to a pilot demonstration installation will be the next step on the road to commercial applications.
Blue Energy can make a significant contribution to the sustainability of the economy and to high-quality employment in the Netherlands and the North of the Netherlands. It therefore contributes to the policy goals of the Dutch cabinet and is characterised by independent studies as a promising export product.
