Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Check out Weathered and the PBS Earth Month Playlist:
youtube.com/watch?v=dkJuKLrxQ4c&list=PLnNZYWyBGJ1F8ofFm4H9UTrHxqU8zngK4&index=1
When seawater and freshwater mix, a surprising amount of energy is released. Norway tried to capture this energy using an osmotic power plant, but the plant mysteriously and abruptly shut down. Join George as he tries to figure out why using dialysis tubing, toilet parts, and a baby turbine.
Producers:
Andrew Sobey
Elaine Seward
Darren Weaver
Writer:
George Zaidan
Hosts:
George Zaidan
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff
Scientific Consultants:
Brianne Raccor, Ph.D.
Anthony Straub, Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, PhD
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Original Production Funding Provided by Anne Ray Foundation
Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2025 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Sources:
The physical basis of osmosis
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10457415
Production of Electric Power by mixing Fresh and Salt Water in the Hydroelectric Pile | Nature
nature.com/articles/174660a0
Salinity-gradient power: Evaluation of pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376738806007575
Pressure-retarded osmosis for power generation from salinity gradients: is it viable?
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/ee/c5ee02985f
Norway's Osmotic Power A Salty Solution to the World's Energy Needs?
waterworld.com/home/article/16201793/norways-osmotic-power-a-salty-solution-to-the-worlds-energy-needs
Five popular misconceptions about osmosis
pubs.aip.org/aapt/ajp/article-abstract/80/8/694/1057545/Five-popular-misconceptions-about-osmosis
Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
https://www.esalq.usp.br/lepse/imgs/conteudo_thumb/Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
Proper NPT Threads Installation
youtube.com/watch?v=JlSrX7rbCH4
24393943-MIT.pdf
https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/29859/24393943-MIT.pdf
What drives osmosis?
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00701005
Energy generation from mixing salt water and fresh water: smart flow strategies for reverse electrodialysis
https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/energy-generation-from-mixing-salt-water-and-fresh-water-smart-fl
Derivation of the Theoretical Minimum Energy of Separation of Desalination Processes
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01194
Simple Candy Osmosis Experiment
thoughtco.com/simple-candy-osmosis-experiment-609190
Nature of Solvent Transfer in Osmosis
science.org/doi/10.1126/science.126.3267.252
Experimental Study of the Independence of Diffusion and Hydrodynamic Permeability Coefficients in Collodion Membranes | Journal of General Physiology
rupress.org/jgp/article-abstract/43/3/523/31599/Experimental-Study-of-the-Independence-of
Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
https://www.esalq.usp.br/lepse/imgs/conteudo_thumb/Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
Recent development in salinity gradient power
ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1282847
Thermodynamic and Energy Efficiency Analysis of Power Generation from Natural Salinity Gradients by Pressure Retarded Osmosis
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es300060m
THE ENTRANCE OF WATER INTO BEEF AND DOG RED CELLS
rupress.org/jgp/article-abstract/42/2/355/12665/THE-ENTRANCE-OF-WATER-INTO-BEEF-AND-DOG-RED-CELLS
Polymeric Membranes for Medical Applications
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cite.200306149
The world's first osmotic power plant from Statkraft
web.archive.org/web/20110812024125/http://www.gizmag.com/statkraft-osmotic-power/13451
Is PRO economically feasible? Not according to Statkraft
forwardosmosistech.com/statkraft-discontinues-investments-in-pressure-retarded-osmosis-2
Commercial Pressure Retarded Osmosis Systems for Seawater Desalination Plants
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7835981
Statkraft halts osmotic power investments
statkraft.com/newsroom/news-and-stories/2013/Statkraft-halts-osmotic-power-investments
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of the Potential of Osmotic Energy for Power Production
mdpi.com/2077-0375/4/3/447
River-to-sea pressure retarded osmosis: Resource utilization in a full-scale facility
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0011916416300091
Osmotic power - Statkraft
youtu.be/watch?v=u5VBIYNBaDk
Producing Emission-Free Energy
youtu.be/watch?v=IePkoGQGCQw
Levelized Cost of Energy: lazard.com/research-insights/levelized-cost-of-energyplus
Check out Weathered and the PBS Earth Month Playlist:
youtube.com/watch?v=dkJuKLrxQ4c&list=PLnNZYWyBGJ1F8ofFm4H9UTrHxqU8zngK4&index=1
When seawater and freshwater mix, a surprising amount of energy is released. Norway tried to capture this energy using an osmotic power plant, but the plant mysteriously and abruptly shut down. Join George as he tries to figure out why using dialysis tubing, toilet parts, and a baby turbine.
Producers:
Andrew Sobey
Elaine Seward
Darren Weaver
Writer:
George Zaidan
Hosts:
George Zaidan
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff
Scientific Consultants:
Brianne Raccor, Ph.D.
Anthony Straub, Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, PhD
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Original Production Funding Provided by Anne Ray Foundation
Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2025 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Sources:
The physical basis of osmosis
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10457415
Production of Electric Power by mixing Fresh and Salt Water in the Hydroelectric Pile | Nature
nature.com/articles/174660a0
Salinity-gradient power: Evaluation of pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376738806007575
Pressure-retarded osmosis for power generation from salinity gradients: is it viable?
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/ee/c5ee02985f
Norway's Osmotic Power A Salty Solution to the World's Energy Needs?
waterworld.com/home/article/16201793/norways-osmotic-power-a-salty-solution-to-the-worlds-energy-needs
Five popular misconceptions about osmosis
pubs.aip.org/aapt/ajp/article-abstract/80/8/694/1057545/Five-popular-misconceptions-about-osmosis
Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
https://www.esalq.usp.br/lepse/imgs/conteudo_thumb/Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
Proper NPT Threads Installation
youtube.com/watch?v=JlSrX7rbCH4
24393943-MIT.pdf
https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/29859/24393943-MIT.pdf
What drives osmosis?
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00701005
Energy generation from mixing salt water and fresh water: smart flow strategies for reverse electrodialysis
https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/energy-generation-from-mixing-salt-water-and-fresh-water-smart-fl
Derivation of the Theoretical Minimum Energy of Separation of Desalination Processes
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01194
Simple Candy Osmosis Experiment
thoughtco.com/simple-candy-osmosis-experiment-609190
Nature of Solvent Transfer in Osmosis
science.org/doi/10.1126/science.126.3267.252
Experimental Study of the Independence of Diffusion and Hydrodynamic Permeability Coefficients in Collodion Membranes | Journal of General Physiology
rupress.org/jgp/article-abstract/43/3/523/31599/Experimental-Study-of-the-Independence-of
Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
https://www.esalq.usp.br/lepse/imgs/conteudo_thumb/Biological-Physics-Energy--Information--Life.pdf
Recent development in salinity gradient power
ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1282847
Thermodynamic and Energy Efficiency Analysis of Power Generation from Natural Salinity Gradients by Pressure Retarded Osmosis
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es300060m
THE ENTRANCE OF WATER INTO BEEF AND DOG RED CELLS
rupress.org/jgp/article-abstract/42/2/355/12665/THE-ENTRANCE-OF-WATER-INTO-BEEF-AND-DOG-RED-CELLS
Polymeric Membranes for Medical Applications
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cite.200306149
The world's first osmotic power plant from Statkraft
web.archive.org/web/20110812024125/http://www.gizmag.com/statkraft-osmotic-power/13451
Is PRO economically feasible? Not according to Statkraft
forwardosmosistech.com/statkraft-discontinues-investments-in-pressure-retarded-osmosis-2
Commercial Pressure Retarded Osmosis Systems for Seawater Desalination Plants
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7835981
Statkraft halts osmotic power investments
statkraft.com/newsroom/news-and-stories/2013/Statkraft-halts-osmotic-power-investments
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of the Potential of Osmotic Energy for Power Production
mdpi.com/2077-0375/4/3/447
River-to-sea pressure retarded osmosis: Resource utilization in a full-scale facility
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0011916416300091
Osmotic power - Statkraft
youtu.be/watch?v=u5VBIYNBaDk
Producing Emission-Free Energy
youtu.be/watch?v=IePkoGQGCQw
Levelized Cost of Energy: lazard.com/research-insights/levelized-cost-of-energyplus
