Gas-solid fluidized beds, by their nature, are associated with intense and frequent collisions of solid particles with each other and with the vessel wall, causing tribo-electrification. Accumulation of electrostatic charges in fluidized bed reactors can result in severe problems such as agglomeration, wall fouling, nuisance and hazardous discharge, all reducing the process performance and raising significant safety concerns. Tribo-charging of particles in fluidized beds has also been exploited in a number of useful applications. In this review, the characterization methods of electrostatics and the mechanisms of charge generation and distribution in fluidized beds are presented, followed by an account of the interplay between the hydrodynamics and electrostatic phenomena. Furthermore, techniques of electrostatic charge control in fluidized beds are reviewed, and applications of tribo-electrostatic fluidization systems are summarized. Finally, computational fluid dynamics simulations of the electrostatic effects on the hydrodynamic characteristics of fluidized beds are outlined. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.