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Wind-Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Critical Review of Research Trends, Structural Principles, and Prospects for the Built Environment

  • Yanan Liu 1,2,*,   
  • Hongyuan Peng 1,2,   
  • Yixian Zhang 3,   
  • Xiaohong Lai 1,2,   
  • Xianyun Cai 1,2,   
  • Shen Wei 4,   
  • Sergio Altomonte 5

Received: 24 Nov 2025 | Revised: 05 Feb 2026 | Accepted: 06 Feb 2026 | Published: 25 Feb 2026

Abstract

Energy conservation and carbon reduction in the building sector are critical to addressing climate change. This paper presents a building-oriented critical review of wind-driven triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), aiming to clarify their research maturity, realistic functional roles, and key limitations in the built environment. Bibliometric analysis reveals a rapid growth of TENG-related studies, with research activity concentrated in East Asia and North America, while work directly connected to architectural applications remains limited. Keyword evolution indicates a shift from fundamental energy-conversion mechanisms toward device optimization and sensing-oriented functions. Based on a structured review, two representative device categories—rotational systems and flutter-based designs—are examined with respect to their operating characteristics and suitability for low-wind building conditions. Reported building-related applications are currently focused on hybrid rooftop harvesting concepts and self-powered sensing components integrated into building systems, particularly for environmental monitoring. However, most demonstrations remain at a laboratory or prototype level, and their architectural integration is constrained by issues including low power output, durability, environmental adaptability, and system-level compatibility. Rather than positioning wind-driven TENGs as near-term power sources for buildings, this review highlights their more realistic short-term potential as supplementary micro-energy units and self-powered sensors, while emphasizing the technical and architectural challenges that must be addressed before broader building adoption can be achieved.

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10.53941/ubs.2026.100008
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Liu, Y.; Peng, H.; Zhang, Y.; Lai, X.; Cai, X.; Wei, S.; Altomonte, S. Wind-Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Critical Review of Research Trends, Structural Principles, and Prospects for the Built Environment. Urban and Building Science 2026. https://doi.org/10.53941/ubs.2026.100008.
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