2026-01-20 米国国立再生可能エネルギー研究所（NREL）
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.nrel.gov/news/detail/2026/nlr-advances-battery-free-power-for-remote-maritime-sensors-and-navigation-aids
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s44172-025-00542-y
超低品位海洋熱エネルギー収集用熱磁気発電機 Thermomagnetic generators for ultra-low-grade marine thermal energy harvesting
Erick Moreno Resendiz,Tavis Peterson & Ravi Anant Kishore
Communications Engineering Published:27 November 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-025-00542-y
Abstract
Low-grade thermal gradients in marine environments represent an underexploited energy source for autonomous sensing and monitoring. Converting such small temperature differences into usable electrical power remains a key challenge for ocean-deployed systems. We present a deployable thermomagnetic generator thoroughly characterized for marine-relevant energy harvesting. The device powers an internet-connected sensor and harvests ultra-low temperature differences akin to those at the ocean surface. It draws heat from water and rejects it to ambient air, operating optimally at a temperature difference (ΔT) of ~7.5 °C. Laboratory prototypes generated up to 6.7 mW at ΔT ~ 10 °C with gentle airflow (~1 m s−1). A separate controlled wave-tank demonstration validated stable operation and sensor powering under marine-like boundary conditions. Given its voltage and power margins, the generator could sustain multiple sensor nodes. Scalability and material assessments identify modular deployment and non-rare-earth alternatives as pathways toward practical marine energy harvesting and low-grade waste-heat recovery.
