Statkraft and Nitto Denko/Hydranautics cooperates to make osmotic power reality

Oslo/Oceanside/Osaka - Statkraft and Nitto Denko/Hydranautics have entered into an agreement for the development and supply of membranes for osmotic power. The agreement will accelerate the development of the new renewable energy.

Statkraft is a European leader in renewable energy and Nitto Denko/Hydranautics is a global leader in membrane manufacturing.

“We are very pleased to work with Statkraft to develop the membrane technology needed to make osmotic power a reality”, said Yasushi Nakahira, General Manager of Nitto Denko Global Membrane Division and CEO of Hydranautics. “Renewable energy sources are critical for the future and developing membrane elements for osmotic power generation aligns very well with Nitto Denko’s strategy for environmental and clean energy related business growth.”

Statkraft has been developing osmotic power for a decade and opened the world’s first prototype facility for osmotic power in 2009. Membrane is a key component in osmotic power generation and the agreement between the two companies will accelerate the development of the new renewable energy technology.

Under the agreement, Nitto Denko/Hydranautics will develop membranes specifically designed for the use in large scale osmotic power plants. The development of more efficient membranes will contribute to making the technology competitive with other new, renewable energy sources and will bring osmotic power further towards future commercialization.

“More renewable energy is key in combating climate change, and this partnership is an important step forward in the development of osmotic power. The partners have similar corporate cultures and values and have a complementary set of competence and expertise. This provides an excellent starting point for a successful cooperation”, said Jon Brandsar, Executive Vice President, Statkraft.

“We are very pleased to join efforts with the world leader in membranes in making osmotic power a reality”, said Stein Erik Skilhagen, Head of Osmotic Power, Statkraft


About Nitto Denko/Hydranautics
Nitto Denko is Japan’s leading diversified materials manufacturer. Founded in 1918, Nitto Denko’s strength is the ability to add diverse functionality to sheets, films and other materials using core technologies such as polymer synthesis, adhesion and coating technologies. The group offers over 13,000 high value specialty products worldwide including optical films for liquid crystal displays, automotive materials, reverse osmosis membranes for desalination and transversal drug delivery patches. Hydranautics, headquartered in Oceanside California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nitto Denko and is a global leader in the manufacturing and supply of reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration membranes for desalination, waste water treatment and water reuse. Nitto Denko has over 31,000 employees in 27 countries and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan.

Statkraft is Europe’s leader in renewable energy. The group develops and generates hydropower, wind power, gas power and district heating, and is a major player on the European energy exchanges. Statkraft has 3 300 employees in more than 20 countries.