Overview:
Topics Covered Include :
• Wireless Sensor and Wireless Sensor Mesh Applications
• Standards and Regulatory Update
• Energy Storage Trends
• Low-Power Wireless System Trends
• Energy Harvesting Market Analysis
• Standards and Technologies Overview
Energy harvesting, micro batteries and power management ICs are in a position to enable the commercial rollout of the next-generation of low-power electronic devices and systems. Low-power devices are being deployed for wireless as well as wired systems such as mesh networks, sensor and control systems, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Applications include home automation, building automation, industrial process/automated meter reading, medical, military, automotive/tire pressure sensors, radio frequency ID and others.
Battery maintenance and replacement are often cited as the biggest reason to use energy harvesting. The first markets for these new technologies have been applications where batteries are problematic, such a building and home automation, military and avionic devices, communications and location devices, and transportation.
Cost and manufacturability are increasingly becoming key drivers for the adoption of energy harvesting, however. The system “power budget,” initial installation costs, process technology trends, and materials are reaching a point where energy harvesting is a cost-effective value proposition in many applications. Combined with tax credits for certain segments like lighting control, the energy efficiency savings are a convincing argument for many end users.
Semiconductor companies are taking the lead with power management ICs, and thin-film batteries are now commercially available to enable energy harvesting solutions. With potential markets spanning billion-unit industries, energy harvesting is expected to weather worldwide economic volatility and be a good opportunity for power supply companies.
Energy harvesting, small-format batteries and power management ICs are technologies that will enable the commercial rollout of next-generation ultra-low-power electronic devices and systems. Such devices are being deployed for wireless as well as wired systems such as mesh networks, sensor and control systems, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, and so on.
Energy harvesting, microgenerators and other emerging power management technologies can be the enabler of wireless sensor network adoption. In fact, battery maintenance and replacement is cited as the “biggest reason to use energy harvesting.” The first markets for these new technologies have been applications that can’t be used with batteries. This report will analyze the “next wave” of applications that are likely to adopt advanced power management for ultra-low power devices. It will also provide an overview of the various standards that could help or hinder the adoption of these technologies, along with the power architectures and cost benefits likely to drive commercial viability.
Ultra-low-power (ULP) wireless technologies are primarily employed in applications that are not traditionally considered “portable,” such as commercial building automation, medical monitoring, transportation and avionics, automatic meter reading, RFID, construction, and military. Although not portable systems, the power needs closely mirror the needs of portable devices such as mobile phone handsets and MP3 players. As a result, emerging ULP applications are expected to provide substantial growth opportunities for power management technologies traditionally associated with portable devices (see Figure 1).
ULP wireless applications and portable applications are both low power, although ULP powering is significantly lower. Both are often wireless, and both usually use batteries. They rely on standards that vary by region and application, and both have varying ranges, data rates, and power requirements, depending on standards and applications. The same needs are driving both markets, as well: energy efficiency, small form factors, reduced power requirements, and competition with “wired” systems.
The value-added possibilities that ULP technologies bring include bi-directionality, with data rates and range being particularly important. Network security is important, along with “real-time” monitoring and remote communication with the “host” system. The increasing need to comply with environmental regulations also provides an opportunity for ULP solutions, since they can almost always ensure such compliance.
Energy harvesting is a natural complement to ultra-low-powering, including wireless mesh sensor networks. Sometimes the terms “energy scavenging” or “power harvesting” are used instead; for purposes of consistency, however, this report will use the term “energy harvesting” to designate all three.
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