Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant – so what is it and how does it work?

The site in Fukuoka is only the second power plant of its type in the world, harnessing the power of osmosis to run a desalination plant in the city Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant, in the south-western city of Fukuoka. Only the second power plant of its type in the world, it is expected to generate about 880,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year – enough to help power a desalination plant that supplies fresh water to the city and neighbouring areas.