An overview on Plant Energy: Unleashing the Potential of Trees as Green Electricity Generators

In the pursuit of sustainable and self-sufficient energy sources, recent scientific efforts have focused on tapping into the potential of living systems and biological structures. This study explores the remarkable electrical properties of the bilayer found in higher plant leaves, comprising cuticle and cellular tissue, which functions as an integrated triboelectric generator. This innovative mechanism enables the conversion of mechanical movements into electricity within living plants. Through detailed examinations using Kelvin force microscopy, the presence of induced and transported charges in living plant tissue is confirmed, while dead leaves of the same species show limited charge transport due to tissue dehydration. The research also highlights the possibility of using entire plants as "living triboelectric energy harvesters," demonstrating significant power outputs, reaching around ≈15 µW cm
^-2
*N, with variations based on plant species and leaf structure. Natural mechanical stimuli, such as wind, can also trigger triboelectric charges at the leaf, offering a promising "living plant-hybrid" prototype for harnessing wind energy. Considering these findings, trees, with their diverse species and extensive coverage, hold great promise as future electricity generators, contributing to eco-friendly technologies like wind-energy harvesting, planthybrid sensors, and other innovative plant-hybrid applications. Embracing this technology promotes a green future for electricity generation.