Feasibility Studies of Micro Photosynthetic Power Cells as a Competitor of Photovoltaic Cells for Low and Ultra-Low Power IoT Applications

Hemanth Kumar Tanneru, Kiran Kuruvinashetti, Pragasen Pillay, Raghunathan Rengaswamy and Muthukumaran Packirisamy
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Hemanth Kumar Tanneru: Optical Bio-Microsystems Laboratory (OBML), Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G1M8, Canada
Kiran Kuruvinashetti: Optical Bio-Microsystems Laboratory (OBML), Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G1M8, Canada
Pragasen Pillay: Power Electronics and Energy Research Group (PEER), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G1M8, Canada
Raghunathan Rengaswamy: Systems Engineering for Natural and Artificial@ IIT Madras (SENAI), Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, Tamil Nadu 600036, India
Muthukumaran Packirisamy: Power Electronics and Energy Research Group (PEER), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G1M8, Canada

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: In this work, we provide a cost comparison of micro-photosynthetic power cells (µPSC) with the well-established photovoltaic (PV) cells for ultra-low power and low power applications. We also suggest avenues for the performance improvement of µPSC. To perform cost comparison, we considered two case studies, which are development of energy systems for: (i) A typical mobile-phone battery charging (low power application) and (ii) powering a humidity sensor (ultra-low power application). For both the cases, we have elucidated the steps in designing energy systems based on PV and µPSC technologies. Based on the design, we have considered the components needed and their costs to obtain total cost for developing energy systems using both PV and µPSC technologies. Currently, µPSCs based energy systems are costlier compared to their PV counterparts. We have provided the avenues for improving µPSC performance, niche application areas, and aspects in which µPSCs are comparable to PV cells. With a huge potential to develop low-cost and high performing technologies, this emerging technology can share the demand on PV technologies for ultra-low power applications.

Keywords: IoT; ultra-low power; low power; bio photovoltaics; energy harvesting; renewable energy; sustainable energy; power electronics; energy harvesting circuit design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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