Chips Convert Solar or Thermal Energy into Electricity

Keyword: PCB chip, PCB, PCB harvesting modules

ST is sampling an energy harvesting PCB chip which converts solar or thermal energy into electricity. Applications can vary from requirements for a few microwatts up PCB to several milliwatts.

Production starts next quarter and it costs $1.15.

The SPV1050 can have both 1.8V and 3.3V regulators PCB to power a companion microcontroller or wireless transmitter directly without requiring additional components.

Maximum Power-Point Tracking (MPPT) continuously optimises energy harvesting, or can be disabled PCB.

The battery-charging circuitry supports a wide variety of battery types including lithium-ion and lithium-polymer, lithium thin-film solid state, NiMH and NiCd, as well as supercapacitors PCB.

“Energy harvesting delivers environmental benefits PCB and helps reduce equipment ownership costs, and is used increasingly as energy-conversion efficiency rises and typical system power demands fall,” says ST’s Matteo Lo Presti.PCB

Inside the chip a buck-boost converter allows the device to connect to either TEG or indoor/outdoor solar-energy PCB harvesting modules by providing a wide input-voltage range from 180mV to 8V.

Average operating efficiency of 90% allows fast battery charging even at low input power levels PCB, while minimum MPPT accuracy of 90% maximizes energy extraction from solar PCB or TEG sources.

The integrated battery-charging controller PCB uses under-voltage and end-of-charge thresholds, and provides safe control logic to prevent excessive discharging for longer battery life.