Towards Net Zero - A Hybrid Energy Harvesting System for Sustainable Wireless Sensor Networks in Industrial Applications (Part 1 Review)

This paper investigates the effectiveness of utilizing a 2.4 GHz patch antenna for energy harvesting in a hybrid system that incorporates photovoltaic (PV) technology as an additional energy source. The proposed system is designed to extract energy from both the RF and light sources, which can provide a sustainable energy supply for equipment within a manufacturing environment. The 2.4 GHz patch antenna is utilized to capture RF energy from the surrounding environment, while the PV system generates energy from a light source (including sunlight). The performance of the proposed hybrid system is assessed in terms of energy efficiency and power output. Previous studies have highlighted the potential of using hybrid energy systems for power generation in wireless sensor networks [1], [2]. Energy harvesting from multiple sources can provide a reliable energy supply that is less dependent on a single source of energy. The use of PV systems in combination with RF energy harvesting has been previously explored [3], [4]. However, the potential of using a 2.4 GHz patch antenna in a hybrid system that incorporates PV technology has not been thoroughly investigated. Simulation results show that the hybrid system proposed in this study can achieve a marginally higher energy harvesting efficiency compared to using only the patch antenna or the PV system alone. This indicates that a combination of RF and light energy sources can be an effective approach for energy harvesting in wireless sensor networks. However, it is important to note that more work is required to generate energy significant enough to power other devices within a manufacturing environment. The proposed hybrid system has the potential to provide a sustainable energy supply for wireless sensor networks in manufacturing environments. The results of this study suggest that a combination of PV and RF energy harvesting can enhance the energy harvesting efficiency of wireless sensor networks. This finding is consistent with previous studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of using hybrid energy systems in manufacturing environments [5], [6].