Water‐Wave Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerator Networks: A Decade of March in Blue Energy and Beyond

Abstract Water wave energy harvesting technology based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) has shown promising commercial potential in the marine Internet of Things. This paper presents insights and perspectives on the historical development and future directions of water‐wave driven triboelectric nanogenerators (WWTNs), aiming to provide valuable guidance for researchers in this field. Specifically, the characteristics of water wave energy harvesting are first analyzed to elucidate the inherent advantages of TENGs over electromagnetic generators (EMGs) in wave energy harvesting. A statistical classification of WWTNs' development status is then presented and key bottlenecks on the path toward large‐scale industrialization are identified. To comprehensively address these challenges, specific structural design solutions are proposed and triboelectric surface density metrics are introduced for the first time to evaluate the density of triboelectric layers and the degree of lightweight design in TENGs, and propose a systematic set of performance metrics for comprehensive evaluation of WWTNs' performance. Finally, a summary and reflection are provided with the hope of accelerating WWTN's progress toward standardization and commercialization.