Energy-Harvesting for IoT-based Wireless Nodes: A Progress Study

Abstract

Energy-harvesting technology is a promising renewable energy source for many applications through deriving energy from ambient environments. In IoT-based devices, this plays a significant role in providing sustainable energy and overcomes the need for battery maintenance and replacement, leading to increased efficiency, reliability, and operation time. This paper focuses on energy- harvesting in the context of IoT-based wireless nodes, its current progress, and future expectations. The main components, energy dissipations, and powering sources of IoT-based nodes are, first, identified. Then, the various ambient energy-harvesting sources and general architecture of the IoT-based energy-harvesting node are presented and concisely discussed. Finally, a progress discussion on the current and future trends of energy-harvesting technology for IoT devices is provided from different aspects, while shedding light on the key challenges facing the growth of energy harvesting for IoT-based systems. Overall, the paper provides a contemporary study that helps researchers who are working in this area and aiming to participate in its developments.

Energy Autonomous Wireless Sensing Node Working at 5 Lux from a 4 cm2 Solar Cell

“…The amount of extra energy that is harvested but not stored can be calculated by subtracting 192 µ J from the total energy harvested in the measurement period. 1 This is the time when the energy storage voltage reaches 1 V; 2 Duration taken for the energy storage voltage to reach 2.2 V, measured from start time; 3 Energy from the solar cell module in the measurement period (duration); 4 Difference between the energy from the solar cell and that in the storage; 5 Approximate time from storage capacitor empty (0 V) until sensor ready (about 2.2 V). Min values or Max values do not necessarily occur at the same time.…”

“…Expectations are that many more will follow in the years to come. It is well understood and accepted that a large-scale deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) sensor nodes requires appropriate solutions to power the nodes and to enable reliable data transfer between the IoT devices and the gateways that convey the information to application servers [1][2][3][4][5]. Batteries are the established means of powering IoT nodes.…”

“…Powering the nodes using energy harvested from the surroundings is an attractive alternative, and various methods have been described to achieve that purpose [1,[4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…Powering the nodes using energy harvested from the surroundings is an attractive alternative, and various methods have been described to achieve that purpose [1,4,[5][6][7][8][9]. The harvesters might rely on temperature gradients, mechanical energy from vibrations, the presence of radio frequency fields, etc.…”