Energy harvesting Solutions: Factors for Success
Informative Micro generatorsEnergy harvesting for an autonomous product
Motion-based energy harvesting systems are effective solutions for sustainably powering electronics and IoT products. Implementing energy harvesters erases (or at least reduces) the need for batteries in low-power applications, leading to maintenance-free products with a longer lifetime.
Energy harvesting systems are the ideal solution for applications that would get cost-effective if autonomous. This mainly happens when:
- Maintenance is expensive due to poor environmental conditions.
- Maintenance is expensive due to extensive product distribution.
- Monitoring correct functioning is expensive, and potential malfunctions must be quickly signalled.
- Use of batteries or main electricity plugs are unwanted (or not feasible).
Energy harvesting for commercial attractiveness
Energy harvesting systems can also be commercially attractive. They can improve the customer experience by:
- Erasing unappealing maintenance at uncomfortable user points.
- Raising the overall quality of the final product.
- Raising, in many cases, safety conditions.
- Making an overall more sustainable product (no batteries nor energy consumption).
Energy harvesting for additional features
From a product's features perspective, the application should ideally require power only when kinetic energy is ready to be converted.
Some stretches can be applied to this requirement by integrating batteries or capacitors. Still, a source of convertible energy (and in sufficient amounts) should tendentially be available while the product consumes energy.
Another requirement for a potential application is to approach an existing market with high demand, as development is more accessible in profitable markets. Eventually, a product with an energy harvester integrated will grant:
- Remote controlling.
- Wireless communication.
- Lower long-term costs.
- Extra yield.
- Embracing sustainability.
Three parameters to consider: Efficiency & Quality, Size, and Price
A standard way of approaching energy harvesting solutions for specific applications is impossible. Efficiency & Quality, Size, and Price are the main parameters we consider when studying the implementation of an energy harvester in the appliance.
High efficiency and low price are realistic when energy harvesters can be relatively big, high efficiency together with the miniature size is possible if budget is not a problem, and low price for a small size Energy Harvester can be produced if the required energy output is low.
Finding the right balance between all these parameters leads to a different solution for each application according to the specific needs. By combining our expertise, know-how, and IP, we can research and develop a customized energy harvesting system to market in the shortest time and with the lowest investment possible for our multinational partners.
We support our clients from concept generation up to serial production in all the development phases:
- Concept generation and feasibility studies
- Proof of concept prototyping and testing
- Product development & reliability and lifetime testing
- Production process development and production start-up
- Product and process optimizations – continuous improvement
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