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Green fields are opening around the world as researchers make inroads into improving efficiencies in new and emerging sustainable vehicles as well as a novel biofuel and power generation from the sea.

Flinders University scientists have recently published results from three different studies—targeting potential methods and future technologies to capture ocean wave power efficiently, produce marine microalgae biofuel and improve catalytic conversion in engines.

In the first study, nanotechnology experts at Flinders University, including Professor Youhong Tang and Ph.D. Steven Wang, with Chinese colleagues have developed a novel wave sensing device which is self-powered by harvesting energy from ocean waves.

The latest results, published in Device today, feature a hybrid self-powered wave sensor (HSP-WS) prototype, consisting of an electromagnetic generator and a triboelectric nanogenerator.

"The test results show that HSP-WS has the sufficient sensitivity to detect even 0.5 cm amplitude changes of ocean waves," says Ph.D. candidate Yunzhong (Steven) Wang, from Professor Tang's research group, who is based at Flinders University's Tonsley future energy hub in Adelaide.

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