Apparatus for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, and method of operating this apparatus,

Apparatus for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, the device comprising a first electrode (1) of a first material having a first work function for the charge carriers, and a second electrode (2) of a second material having a second work function for the charge carriers and the second work from the first work function is different, comprising. The first electrode (1) and the second electrode (2) are electrically conductively connected to one another via a first load circuit (3). The second electrode (2) is arranged relative to the first electrode (1) with variable spacing.