Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the energy industry. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 4 promising Energy Harvesting Solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) Sensors.
Heat Map: 4 Top Energy Harvesting Startups
For our 4 top picks, we used a data-driven startup scouting approach to identify the most relevant solutions globally. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 4 interesting examples out of 236 relevant solutions. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.
Kinergizer – Mechanical Energy Harvesting
Mechanical energy can be harvested from a variety of sources such as vibrations, pressure, and strain. The energy produced by the mechanical motions of the equipment being monitored provides the energy used to power the sensor. The methods of energy conversion are electromagnetism, electrostatics, and electroactive polymers. Dutch startup Kinergizer manufactures energy harvesting systems for wireless industrial internet of things (IIoT) sensors. Their technology is focused on industrial equipment that has continuous motion such as motors, gearboxes, and rail tracks, and harnesses mechanical energy to provide a continuous and sustainable source of power for IIoT/IoT devices.
E-peas – Thermal Energy Harvesting
Equipment such as power generation systems has many rotary components which generate a lot of heat and needs to be frequently cooled. Sensors in such environments can harness the excess heat being produced and converted it into electrical energy to power the sensor using thermoelectric generators. Belgian startup E-peas designs and manufactures energy harvesting devices for IoT applications. Their thermal energy harvesting solution, along with their low energy microcontroller, manages the sensing, collecting, processing, and transmission of data.
Nowi – Light Energy Harvesting
By using photovoltaics to harvest the energy from the sun or from light bulbs, a sensor’s dependence on battery replacements can be removed. The generation of energy through photovoltaics has seen a rapid improvement in efficiency, making them a viable source for harvesting energy. Dutch startup Nowi supplies advanced embedded solutions for IoT sensors and devices. Their energy harvesting system includes a harvesting and storage device so that the power received from ambient light remains consistent and transforms this into energy for the sensor.
Viezo – Vibration Energy Harvesting
Industrial assets are prone to vibrations due to a large number of moving parts. Monitoring them is vital to better understand asset conditions and mitigate machine downtimes. Sensors that can harness the vibration energy is able to power themselves to continuously monitor the equipment. Lithuania-based startup Viezo provides vibration energy harvesters for industrial IoT (IIoT) devices. The startup’s piezoelectric thermoplastic material, PolyFilm, is based on a cantilever structure. When it vibrates, PolyFilm generates electricity and stores it in a supercapacitor. The supercapacitor is continuously charged and it powers the sensor, avoiding power shortage.
What About The Other 232 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence for your Proof of Concept (PoC), partnership, or investment targets. The 4 startups showcased above are promising examples out of 236 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria and collaboration strategy, get in touch.
