Exploring challenges and potential for a commercially viable piezoelectric energy harvesting system—Can Energy-as-Data concept thrive?

Over the past two decades, piezoelectric energy harvesting systems have undergone extensive research, spanning from materials to devices and electronics. Recently, there has been a notable introduction of the term “self-powered sensors,” which essentially refers to conventional, older passive sensors, associated with piezoelectric (or triboelectric) nanogenerators. Unfortunately, neither approach has yet yielded a successful market example. The primary challenge seems to lie in the intermittent nature of ambient kinetic energy input to these harvesters, despite the high output power density of piezoelectric energy harvesters. This article emphasizes the concept of Energy-as-Data, holding promise for a potentially brighter future for commercializable piezoelectric energy harvesting systems. The key advantage offered by this concept is the substantial extension of battery life through the optimization of data acquisition protocols. This involves transitioning from the traditional passive sensing mode with a high sampling rate to an extremely low duty cycle. This transition allows the harvested energy, accumulated in an energy storage unit over a specific interval, to be translated into critical information regarding kinetic environmental changes during that period. The article also discusses the broader context that necessitates the Energy-as-Data concept, establishing it as one of the few viable pathways to cultivate specialized markets for piezoelectric energy harvesting.