Scientists Create Slippery Nanopores That Triple Blue Energy Power Output
Global, Saturday, 21 February 2026.
EPFL researchers achieved a breakthrough in blue energy generation by coating tiny nanopores with lipid molecules, creating slippery surfaces that allow ions to flow three times faster than current technologies. Their device produces 15 watts per square meter by harnessing the energy released when saltwater meets freshwater.
Revolutionary Membrane Design Solves Ion Transport Challenge
The breakthrough technology, published in Nature Energy on February 16, 2026, addresses a fundamental challenge that has limited blue energy’s commercial viability for years [1]. Researchers at the Laboratory for Nanoscale Biology (LBEN) at EPFL, working in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy (CIME), developed a novel approach using lipid-coated nanopores that dramatically reduces friction during ion transport [1][3]. The team created stalactite-shaped nanopores embedded in a silicon nitride membrane and coated them with lipid bilayers, creating what they describe as a “slippery” surface that prevents ions from rubbing against pore walls [1]. This hydration lubrication effect allows ions to move through the membrane with unprecedented speed while maintaining the selectivity crucial for efficient energy generation [1].
Engineering Precision Delivers Commercial-Grade Performance
The EPFL team fabricated a device containing 1,000 lipid-coated nanopores arranged in a hexagonal pattern and tested it under conditions that replicate natural salt concentrations where seawater meets river water [1][3]. The results demonstrated remarkable performance improvements, with the system achieving a power density of approximately 15 watts per square meter [1][3]. This represents a 300 percent improvement over existing polymer membrane technologies, which typically generate between 5-7.5 watts per square meter [1][3]. “By combining a scalable membrane layout with precisely engineered nanofluidic channels, we achieve highly efficient osmotic energy conversion and open a route toward nanofluidic-based blue-energy systems,” explained Aleksandra Radenovic, who leads the LBEN laboratory [1][3].
Scientific Innovation Opens New Design Possibilities
The research team’s approach represents a significant departure from traditional membrane technologies by combining the best aspects of two competing methodologies [1]. Lead researcher Tzu-Heng Chen emphasized the broader implications of their work, stating that “By showing how precise control over nanopore geometry and surface properties can fundamentally reshape ion transport, our study moves blue-energy research beyond performance testing and into a true design era” [1][3]. First author Yunfei Teng noted that the enhanced transport behavior driven by hydration lubrication is universal, suggesting applications beyond blue energy devices [1][3]. The lipid bilayers create a lubricating water layer by drawing in moisture through their hydrophilic heads, effectively eliminating the friction that has historically limited ion flow rates [1].
Market Implications and Future Energy Integration
Blue energy technology targets locations where rivers meet the sea, harnessing the natural energy release that occurs when freshwater and saltwater mix [GPT]. The EPFL breakthrough could significantly accelerate the commercialization of blue energy systems, which have long been considered a promising complement to solar and wind power but have struggled with efficiency limitations [1]. The technology’s scalable membrane architecture suggests potential for large-scale deployment, particularly in coastal regions with significant freshwater-saltwater interfaces [1]. Advanced characterization work performed by Dr. Victor Boureau at EPFL’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy, supported by EPFL’s shared facilities including CMi, MHMC, and SCITAS, demonstrates the institutional commitment to bringing this technology to market [1][3]. The achievement of 15 watts per square meter power density, combined with the universal applicability of the hydration lubrication principle, positions this innovation as a potentially transformative development in renewable energy harvesting [1][3].