Boosting the output performance of volume effect electricity generator (VEEG) with water column

To harvest energy from water is one of the best ways to obtain green power in the future. However, the output performance of various generators such as the voltage, current and power still needs to be improved. Here, a volume effect electricity generator (VEEG) based on water column is reported. Through water column sliding in polymer tube, VEEG can generate both high voltage and high current output. A 10 cm length water column can output the voltage, current and power up to 904 V, 509 μA, and 118.1 mW, respectively, which are the highest instantaneous outputs in comparison with the reported liquid-solid based generators. The mechanism of VEEG has been elucidated and the key aspects to enhance the instantaneous output power have been discussed in detail. Some potential applications and prospects of VEEG are also demonstrated. This work opens up a new pathway for efficiently harvesting abundant hydrodynamic energy.