Membrane-based seawater desalination is presently limited by significant specific energy consumption, high unit costs, and environmental impacts including GHG emissions.
Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO), the conventional technology, is undergoing a significant transformation as we witness the greening of SWRO.
Future of membranes in desalination and salinity gradient energy includes ultrahigh permeability RO membranes, renewable-energy driven desalination, and emerging processes.
Emerging processes include membrane distillation, forward osmosis, pressure retarded osmosis, and reverse electrodialysis according various niches and/or hybrids.