Converting ambient energy to useable electrical energy, energy harvesting (EH) systems offer an inexpensive and compact way to power portable electrical devices that, in many cases, rely heavily on batteries.  In the near future, EH technology will power an increasing number of consumer and industrial products that are untethered or need to become disconnected from electrical outlets.  According to a new report from Navigant Research, sales of energy harvesting devices will grow from less than 10 million units in 2013 to 18.7 million units by 2020.

“Consumers and industries alike consider the environmental and economic costs of changing and maintaining batteries to be excessive,” says Eric Woods, research director with Navigant Research.  “It is just a matter of time before they are no longer willing, economically or otherwise, to change and maintain batteries to the extent that they have traditionally done, and move toward increasingly available energy harvesting technology.”

The energy sources available for EH include electromagnetic radiation, thermal energy, and mechanical energy.  The technologies used for the transduction of these energy sources into useable electrical energy include photovoltaic (PV), thermoelectric, piezoelectric, and electromagnetic.  Improvements in low-power technology such as very large-scale integration, microelectromechanical systems, and wireless communications have made it possible for these technologies to be put to use in commercial products in the consumer and industrial sectors.

The report, “Energy Harvesting”, analyzes existing and emerging EH technologies in depth, looking at nine end-use consumer and industrial application segments and the four most successful transduction methods for converting ambient energy. Key industry players are profiled and global market forecasts, segmented by application, technology, and world region, extend through 2020. The study also includes extensive technology segmentation that shows key implementation strategies for the most common EH technologies operating in portable, pervasive, and autonomous systems.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

About Navigant Research

Navigant Research, the dedicated research arm of Navigant, provides market research and benchmarking services for rapidly changing and often highly regulated industries.  In the energy sector, Navigant Research focuses on in-depth analysis and reporting about global clean technology markets.  The team’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Utilities, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors.  Additional information about Navigant Research can be found at www.navigantresearch.com.