China’s nanogenerators achieve 117% power conversion from ocean waves

Source: interestingengineering
Author: @IntEngineering
Published: 8/28/2025
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Read original articleChinese researchers from the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems and Guangxi University have developed advanced triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) capable of converting low-frequency mechanical energy from ocean waves into electricity with an unprecedented 117% power conversion efficiency. Their work, published in Nano-Micro Letters, reviews six innovative TENG structural designs optimized for marine environments, including spherical, bionic, and hybrid configurations. These designs enhance internal device output, durability, and adaptability to harsh ocean conditions, enabling self-sustaining power solutions for marine grids, distributed IoT, and even hydrogen production from seawater.
The study emphasizes advancements in TENG architectures, particularly solid-solid contact designs, which show strong commercial potential for marine power generation. The researchers highlight the importance of structural optimization and hybrid systems that integrate TENGs with electromagnetic generators (EMGs), piezoelectric generators (PENGs), and solar cells to capture a broader energy spectrum. Such hybrid systems achieve frequency-complementary
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energynanogeneratorsocean-wave-energytriboelectric-nanogeneratorsblue-energymarine-power-generationenergy-harvesting