Challenges of Power Generation by Reverse Electrodialysis

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a power generation method that harnesses the energy of mixing high- and low-salinity solutions through ion migration across ion-exchange membranes. While it is being extensively investigated as an environmentally friendly technology that utilizes renewable materials and generates no air pollution, it also has severe limitations that put RED’s technical and economic feasibility into question. This paper discusses RED’s geographical, technical, and economic limitations and provides a critical review of the attempts at addressing them. We conclude that the pretreatment costs and the capital investment costs are prohibitively expensive, making RED uneconomical compared to other renewable energy generation methods.