Currently, significant efforts are focussed on designing next generation electrochemical energy generation systems, due to their versatility in fuel type and operating conditions. However, one drawback of electrochemical processes is that even though they consume little energy, energy input is essential to drive the process. To address this issue, we developed the carbonous water-driven power generator (CWPG) technology, which generates electricity through the inherent interaction between water and porous conductive materials. This technology overcomes the limitation of very low current (in the μA range) observed in previous transpiration-based systems. Without using highly conductive materials like MXene, CWPGs solely employ carbon-structured materials to maintain a high current in the mA range and extended operation time. Through this relatively high level of self-generated energy, it offers an innovative method for driving electrochemical mechanisms, including powering small-scale devices. In addition, we conducted various characterization analyses (such as X-ray computed tomography) on carbon-based materials to elucidate the mechanisms related to electricity generation. Finally, by using the generated current to power a miniaturized device, we propose strategies for efficiently utilizing the produced power and discuss related research directions and future perspectives.
