(ORDO NEWS) — The new invention generates up to 347 watts of energy per cubic meter. Sea wave energy has great potential as a renewable energy source , but it is still not widely used.
However, it may soon gain momentum to become commercially viable thanks to a new invention consisting of tiny generators based on the triboelectric effect. This is stated in an article published by New Scientist.
The new development, which is being unveiled by the team in China, boasts of doubling the previous record for power generation.
This is achieved by capturing the energy resulting from static electricity that is generated when different materials rub against each other. Devices that use this effect to produce energy are called “nanogenerators”.
Despite numerous attempts to incorporate the triboelectric effect into modern technology , not a single invented device has been mass-produced or commercialized.
However, a new study suggests linking thousands of triboelectric nanogenerators together in long chains to generate enough power to make the devices efficient in harnessing wave energy.
The new concept was proposed by a team led by Zhong Lin Wang of the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems in China. Wang oversaw the creation of the first working triboelectric nanogenerator, developed in 2012.
Scientists claim that nanogenerators can generate a significant amount of electricity from sea waves. Wave energy can become very viable if used properly.
Now the scientist has developed a design for obtaining energy from waves, which consists of a spring coil placed inside a cylinder. As the waves push the cylinder back and forth, the individual parts of the helix join and separate, creating a small current.
So far, it has been found that the new invention generates up to 347 watts of energy per cubic meter, which is twice the previously achieved record. This is 30 times more than other triboelectric devices.
According to the researchers, this time they were able to fit more generators in the same space. When dealing with devices as small as nanogenerators, high numbers are the key to getting enough energy to make a significant impact.
In August 2021, researchers developed a prototype technology that they claim can double the power generated by ocean waves.
The new wave energy converter, developed by a research team led by RMIT University, is said to perform twice as well as similar technologies previously developed. This is achieved through the use of a previously unseen design with two turbines.
In September 2022, U.S. startup CalWave announced the successful completion of open ocean testing of its xWave clean power technology, which has demonstrated over 99 percent system uptime of 10 months.
These developments are critical as wave energy is one of the most anticipated renewable energy sources in the world.
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