Wireless Networking Concepts: Energy Harvesting for Wireless Networks

This assignment explores the critical concept of energy harvesting within wireless networking, particularly focusing on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). It begins by defining energy harvesting as the process of deriving energy from external or natural resources to power autonomous devices. The paper highlights the importance of energy harvesting in overcoming the limitations of traditional battery-powered WSNs, which often face issues like power depletion. The assignment then delves into various energy harvesting techniques, including radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting, solar energy harvesting, and thermal energy harvesting using the Seebeck effect. Other methods like flow-based, wind, and hydropower energy harvesting are also mentioned. The core argument emphasizes the need for continuous energy supply in WSNs to ensure their longevity and operational effectiveness, making energy harvesting a vital solution for reducing the reliance on conventional energy sources.

Running head: WIRELESS NETWORKING CONCEPTS
Wireless Networking Concepts
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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WIRELESS NETWORKING CONCEPTS
Energy Harvesting
Energy derivation from external or manmade resources and natural resources such as sun,
wind, thermal power is termed as energy harvesting. Wireless sensor networks possesses many
autonomous objects or devices that make use of sensors for monitoring the physical and
environmental conditions. The efficient working of wireless sensor networks needs a continuous
supply of energy and therefore different energy harvesting techniques is therefore a good
solution for eliminating the different limitations of energy related to the wireless sensor
networks. The different energy acquiring or harvesting techniques include the use of different
natural and manmade resources for harvesting the energy. The different energy harvesting
techniques include RF energy, solar energy, thermal energy and so on. Energy harvesting is a
must need for wireless sensor networks as it need a continuous supply of energy. In case an
energy sensor node suffers depletion, it fails to perform its responsibility in the network any
further until it is replaced by proper energy resources. Therefore, it is an effective idea to
implement different energy harvesting techniques to eliminate the energy problems associated
with wireless sensor networks. The longevity of the wireless sensor networks can be increased
by increasing the life of the sensor nodes. Many energy harvesting techniques can be employed
in ensuring a continuous supply of power to the sensor nodes, which will in turn increase the
lifetime of WSNs. Thus, the need of energy harvesting becomes more essential for WSNs in
order to reduce the use of conventional energy resources (Shaikh & Zeadally, 2016).
The primary energy source of WSNs are power from a battery source, but it consists of
different problems. However, there are certain problems with this power source, which includes
current leakage even when the battery is not in use thus resulting in a huge loss of power and
energy (Ulukus et al., 2015). Therefore, a continuous energy supply is necessary to be

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WIRELESS NETWORKING CONCEPTS
considered for wireless sensor networks that can be obtained by efficient energy harvesting
techniques. There are different energy harvestinh techniques that can be strategically used in
wireless senor networks. These processes and techniques are listed below (Shaikh & Zeadally,
2016)-
1) Energy harvesting using radio frequency: This is an efficient energy harvesting
methodology that deals with harvesting the radio waves, which is then transformed or converted
into electricity.
2) Harvesting solar energy: the energy of the sun is harvested and can be used as an
efficient source of energy. This energy harvesting techniques can be used in wireless sensor
networks to eliminate the associated energy problems.
3) Thermal based Energy: Thermal energy harvesting deals with conversion of heat
energy or thermal energy to electrical energy. Seebeck effect is mainly used for conversion,
transformation of thermal, or heat energy to electrical energy.
4) Flow based Energy: the rotational movement of the turbines and rotors is harvested to
and converted into electrical energy to be used in WSNs.
5) Wind energy harvesting: The wind energy is captured for generation of electricity.
6) Hydro power energy: Hydropower energy harvesting process is used to harness the
energy of falling water, which is then converted into electricity.

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WIRELESS NETWORKING CONCEPTS
References
Shaikh, F. K., & Zeadally, S. (2016). Energy harvesting in wireless sensor networks: A
comprehensive review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 55, 1041-1054.
Ulukus, S., Yener, A., Erkip, E., Simeone, O., Zorzi, M., Grover, P., & Huang, K. (2015).
Energy harvesting wireless communications: A review of recent advances. IEEE Journal
on Selected Areas in Communications, 33(3), 360-381.