“We propose a vortex-induced vibration-based triboelectric nanogenerator (VIV-TENG) to enable efficient wind energy harvesting under low wind speed and complex environmental conditions,” says Prof. Chuyan Zhang from China University of Geosciences (Beijing).

They published their study on May 13, 2026, in iEnergy.

A new strategy for distributed wind energy harvesting

With the growing demand for clean energy, harvesting distributed wind energy in urban environments has attracted increasing attention. However, conventional wind turbines are often limited by their large size, high cost, and strict installation requirements, making them unsuitable for small-scale and decentralized applications. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), pioneered by Wang Zhonglin, provide a promising alternative due to their advantages in low-frequency energy harvesting. Nevertheless, existing wind-driven TENG designs still face challenges such as low efficiency at low wind speeds, poor adaptability to multidirectional airflow, mechanical wear, and performance degradation in humid environments.

 Vortex-induced vibration enables stable energy conversion

To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a VIV-TENG that utilizes vortex-induced vibration instead of conventional rotational or fluttering mechanisms. When airflow passes through the device, periodic vortex shedding induces oscillations of the central axis, which drives multiple TENG units to generate electricity.

“The vortex-induced vibration mechanism allows the device to operate without rotational components, reducing mechanical wear while maintaining stable output under multidirectional airflow,” the research team explains.

The device features a symmetric structure with multiple TENG units arranged around a central axis, enabling efficient wind energy collection from various directions. In addition, an encapsulated design improves its environmental robustness.

 Efficient output under low wind speed and high humidity

The experimental results demonstrate that the VIV-TENG achieves stable output performance over a wide range of wind speeds. At a wind speed of 3.5 m/s, the device reaches a peak open-circuit voltage of 82.9 V and a short-circuit current of 13 μA.

Notably, the device can operate at a low start-up wind speed of 0.9 m/s. It can also charge a 47 μF capacitor to 2 V within one minute.

In addition, the device maintains stable performance in humid environments. The maximum average output power reaches 49.5 μW at 45% relative humidity and remains at 45.5 μW even at 85% humidity, demonstrating environmental adaptability.

Toward self-powered systems in urban environments

The device shows potential for practical applications. It can power multiple LEDs, drive small electronic devices such as clocks, and support self-powered sensing systems.

The results suggest that the proposed device could serve as a feasible approach for distributed wind energy harvesting and self-powered systems.

This study provides a possible pathway for utilizing low-speed wind energy in complex environments and indicates the potential of TENG-based technologies in urban energy systems.

See the article:

Vortex-driven triboelectric nanogenerator for multidirectional wind energy collection with humidity resistance