Energy Harvesting for Electronic Devices: Latest Situation

The characteristics of energy harvesting on or near electronic devices are usually: Intermittent but lasts longer than a primary battery. Virtually maintenance-free: fit and forget. No pollution at point of creation of electricity and at point of use of this electricity which is usually nearby. Produces 0.1 microwatts to 10W when functioning. Renewable energy including from human or animal. EH electricity usually needs to be stored and presented later at a different impedance, voltage and current. EH may provide all or part of the power to drive the electronic device More than one mode of energy harvesting may be used because this offers redundancy and reduces intermittency this resulting in less or no battery. Examples are EnOcean wireless building controls using photovoltaics, electrodynamics and sometimes thermoelectrics or Matrix watches using thermoelectrics and photovoltaics.