Energy Harvesting, Micro Batteries & Power Management ICs: Market Forces and Demand Characteristics, Second Edition

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 cant 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.

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.

Companies Mentioned

• 4HomeMedia
• ABB
• Ad Hoc
• AdaptivEnergy
• Agpo
• Air Products
• AISD Inc.
• Aitech
• Alerton Inc.
• Alliant Energy
• AlwaysReady
• American Society of Heating
• Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
• Aqualisa
• Art of Technology AG
• Audi
• austriamicrosystems
• Automated Logic Corp.
• b+b
• Balluff
• Barcelona Institute of Materials Science
• Beckhoff
• Beijing Institute of Technology
• Best Buy
• BFM AB
• Blue Spark Technologies (formerly Thin Battery Technology)
• Boeing
• Bosch
• BP Cherry Point Refinery
• Brink
• Bticino
• Building Controls Industry Association
• Building Research Establishment
• Cain White
• California Energy Commission
• CAP-XX
• Cellnet+Hunt
• Centerpoint
• CER
• Chipcon
• ChipSensors Ltd.
• Cisco
• Clage
• Colorado Power Electronics Center
• Comverge
• Con Edison
• Continental Automated Buildings Association
• Coronis Systems
• Crossbow
• Current Group
• Cymbet Corp.
• Cypress Semiconductor
• Delta Controls
• DEWALT
• Digi International
• Digital AV
• Distech
• Dorma
• Dow Chemical
• EasyTed
• Eaton
• Echo Controls
• EG Holmes and Associates
• Electric Power Research Institute
• Electronic Industry Association in Japan
• Elesta
• Elk
• Ember
• Emerson Process Management
• Endress+Hauser
• ENEL
• Energy Services Network Association
• Enfora
• Enfucell
• EnOcean
• EnOcean Alliance
• Environmental Protection Agency
• EoPlex
• European Committee of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances
• Excellatron Solid State
• Exceptional Innovation
• FACE
• Falcom
• Fieldbus Foundation
• First Alert
• Flextron
• Ford Motor Co.
• Fraunhofer Institute
• Freescale
• Funkstuhl
• GE Security
• General Dynamics UK
• Grsslin
• GreenPeak
• HART Communication Foundation
• Helios
• Hitachi Ltd.
• Holst Centre (IMEC)
• Honeywell
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Hoppe
• Hte
• iControl Networks,Infineon Technologies
• Infinite Power Solutions
• Institute for Micromachining and Information Technology
• Integration
• Intel
• Intellihome
• International Electrotechnical Commission
• International Energy Agency
• Invensys
• IP Symcon
• Itho bv
• Itron
• Jger Direkt
• Japan Ministry of International Trade & Industry
• Jennic
• KCF Technologies
• Konnex Association
• Krmschroder
• Kronos
• Lennar Homes
• Los Alamos National Lab
• LS Research
• LV Sensors
• Masco
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• MasterCard International
• Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.
• Maxwell
• Maya
• MeshNetics
• Messner
• ME-Technics
• Metglas
• Micropower
• Microsoft
• Mide
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
• MK Electric
• Moteiv
• Motorola
• MSR
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Taiwan University
• National Tsing Hua University
• NEC
• NFC Forum
• Niko
• NIRA Dynamics
• Nokia
• NURI
• NXP Semiconductor
• Ohio Supercomputer Center
• Omnio
• OpenTherm Association
• Osram
• Oventrop
• Pacific Gas & Electric
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Peha
• Perpetuum
• Philips Research
• Phnix Contact
• Portland General Electric
• Portus
• Power Paper
• Powerline Control Systems
• Priva
• Profibus Nutzerorganisation e.V.
• Radio Engineering & Electronics Association
• Record
• Regent
• Reliable Controls Corp.
• Remeha
• Saft
• Saia-Burgess
• Samsung
• San Diego PG&E
• Schlaps&Partner
• Schunk
• Sealed Air Corp.
• Servodan
• Siemens AG
• Sierra Wireless
• Smarthome
• Software Technologies Group
• Solicore
• Somfy
• Sony
• Southern California Edison
• Southern Company
• ST Microelectronics
• Steute
• Stuhl
• Surrey Space Centre
• Talon Communications
• TCS
• Televic
• TEM AG
• Tendril Networks
• Texas Instruments
• Texas Piezoelectric
• Theben
• Thermokon
• Theta-J
• ThingMagic
• TL Marketing
• Toshiba Corp.
• Tour Andover Controls (T.A.C.now owned by Schneider Electric)
• TXU
• Tyndall National Institute
• uControl
• Uhlemann
• UK Ministry of Defence
• United Arab Emirates University
• Universal Electronics
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of California at San Diego
• University of California Los Angeles
• University of Freiburg
• University of Texas at Dallas
• US Department of Defense
• US Department of Energy
• US Federal Communications Commission
• US Food and Drug Administration
• US Pentagon
• Venture Design Services
• Vestfold University College
• Vienna University of Technology
• Vipa
• Visa International
• Visonic
• W&T
• Wago
• Wal-Mart
• Warema
• Wavenis Open Standard Alliance
• WaveSpace
• Wieland
• WildCharge Inc.
• Xanboo
• Xcel Energy
• Yokogawa
• York International
• Zarlink Semiconductor
• ZigBee Alliance
• Zumtobel
• Z-Wave Alliance.