1617  Energy Harvesting Analysis and Scenarios

Analyze Energy Balance, Storage Simulation, and Application Scenarios

1617.1 Learning Objectives

TipWhat You’ll Learn

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

  • Analyze energy balance between harvesting and consumption
  • Interpret storage level simulations over time
  • Understand seasonal variations in solar harvesting
  • Apply pre-configured scenarios for common IoT applications
  • Calculate break-even ROI versus battery-powered systems

1617.2 Energy Analysis Dashboard

This interactive analysis tool calculates power outputs, energy balances, and provides component sizing recommendations based on your harvester configuration.

1617.3 Understanding the Analysis

1617.3.1 Energy Balance Interpretation

The analysis dashboard shows four key metrics:

  1. Harvested Power: Total instantaneous power from all active sources
  2. Average Consumption: Device power considering sleep/active duty cycle
  3. Daily Balance: Net energy gained or lost per day
  4. Autonomy Days: How long the device can run on stored energy alone
NoteSelf-Sufficiency Rule

A system is self-sufficient when daily harvested energy >= daily consumption. Aim for at least 20% margin to account for variability.

1617.3.2 Storage Level Simulation

The 7-day simulation shows how storage levels fluctuate based on:

  • Solar: Bell curve during daylight hours (6 AM - 6 PM typical)
  • Vibration: Active during operational hours (8 AM - 8 PM for industrial)
  • Thermal: Usually continuous when temperature differential exists
  • RF: Continuous but typically very low power

The critical threshold (20%) indicates when the system may fail to operate reliably.

1617.4 Summary

TipKey Analysis Insights
  1. Energy balance is critical - Positive daily balance ensures long-term operation
  2. Seasonal variation matters - Solar systems need storage for winter months
  3. Component sizing affects reliability - Undersized storage causes failures
  4. Break-even analysis justifies investment - Consider total cost of ownership

1617.5 What’s Next

Continue to the Energy Harvesting Concepts chapter to learn the theoretical foundations of energy harvesting, including equations and design workflows.