Unlocking the potential of ambient energy harvesting in IIoT

As the number of connected devices continues to grow, more energy is needed to keep them online and operational.

Batteries remain the most popular power source for IoT devices, but they are increasingly paired with ambient energy harvesters that can draw energy from the environment to partially or fully power an application.

Though solar panels and wind turbines are the most established and well-known ambient energy harvesters for IoT applications, often being used in remote or off-grid locations, there are millions of wireless devices that don’t have access to such energy sources.

Converting machine motion and vibrations into usable electric energy has long been identified as an exciting renewable source of power for certain industrial applications. However, developing an energy harvester that could do so efficiently in multiple settings remained a technological challenge.

Now MEMSYS, a Netherlands-based startup, has identified a way to do just that. What’s more, Saft and MEMSYS recently announced that they would join forces to investigate the possibility of a hybrid power source for industrial IoT applications.

Forming a partnership with MEMSYS

MEMSYS was founded as a spin-off from Delft University of Technology in 2023, and it is now home to a multi-skilled team looking to unlock the opportunity for ambient energy harvesting.

Their Energy Harvesting Technology is an innovative power source that can smartly and efficiently convert ambient motions and vibrations in the vicinity of an IoT device into electrical energy.

Chief Commercial Officer at MEMSYS, Hugo Romer, explained the importance of developing a universal or ‘agnostic’ platform.

“There have been multiple attempts to harvest energy from vibrations, but these were often tailored for highly-specific applications. Our goal was to develop an energy harvester that can operate in many different settings, converting both soft and hard vibrations into electric energy. Being able to harvest both is the truly pioneering element of our product.”

The newly-signed Letter Of Intent (LOI) with Saft has signalled the beginning of a collaborative project that will examine the technical and commercial viability of a new type of wireless power source for the IIoT market. It will explore the possibility of a hybrid solution, combining mechanical and chemical power sources, where this energy harvesting technology would be coupled with high performance Saft batteries.

The potential to transform condition monitoring

It is estimated that over 50% of IIoT devices are deployed for predictive maintenance or remote monitoring of equipment including manufacturing machinery, turbines, and vital transport infrastructure. They play a vital role in ensuring safety, and significantly cutting the amount of operational downtime and labor requirements for maintenance.

“There’s absolutely a real market opportunity there,” says Mr. Romer. “The devices used in condition monitoring are an essential part of efficient industrial operation now and, of course, they’re often subjected to a large amount of vibration from the machinery itself. Being able to harvest some of that energy could be incredibly beneficial.”

Though improved efficiency, reduced downtime and cost-savings are important considerations for organizations deploying condition monitoring devices, there are other factors at play.

There are now more regulatory requirements for industrial organizations to consider, such as the EU ESPR (Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation) that requires manufacturers to integrate environmental footprint criteria, such as durability, repairability, recyclability, recycled content, and explicit carbon and environmental footprint considerations right from the design phase.

“It’s an exciting time for us as we feel like we’re answering a real need for the sector – in providing reliable renewable energy where others simply can’t. It’s certainly a challenging mission, but that’s what’s so interesting to us. Now, we’re excited to work with the Saft experts in Poitiers (France) and to explore the viability of hybrid power sources, and more besides.”

The first results of the collaborative project are expected later in 2025, when preliminary testing of has been conducted.