2026, Vol. 13, No. 1. - go to content...

Permanent address of this page - https://resources.today/en/16inor126.html

Метаданные этой статьи так же доступны на русском языке

DOI: 10.15862/16INOR126 (https://doi.org/10.15862/16INOR126)

Full article in PDF format (file size: 597.4 KB)

For citation:

Usacheva M.M. Technologies for harvesting energy from the environment for iot: solar, geothermal, vibrational, RF, and light — environmental effects and limitations. Russian journal of resources, conservation and recycling. 2026; 13(1). Available at: https://resources.today/PDF/16INOR126.pdf (in Russian). DOI: 10.15862/16INOR126

Technologies for harvesting energy from the environment for iot: solar, geothermal, vibrational, RF, and light — environmental effects and limitations

Usacheva Maria Mikhailovna
Povolzhskiy State University of Telecommunications and Informatics, Samara, Russia
E-mail: mm.usacheva@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0558-8837
RSCI: https://elibrary.ru/author_profile.asp?id=747973
WoS: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/rid/OLR-7446-2025

Gerasimov Vyacheslav Vasillevich
Povolzhskiy State University of Telecommunications and Informatics, Samara, Russia
E-mail: Slavon131@bk.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7791-7981
RSCI: https://elibrary.ru/author_profile.asp?id=1150644

Abstract. The rapid growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices exacerbates the problem of energy supply and disposal of billions of batteries, which are a source of environmentally hazardous waste. According to the UN Global E-waste Monitor 2024, the global volume of electronic waste reached 62 million tons in 2022, with only 22,3 % recycled. Energy harvesting technologies from the environment offer a promising alternative to traditional battery power sources for IoT devices. This review systematizes modern energy harvesting methods: photovoltaic (solar and light, including perovskite elements with efficiency up to 42 % under indoor lighting), thermoelectric (with examples of geothermal powering of sensor networks in subarctic regions), vibrational (piezoelectric and triboelectric, up to 300 W/m²), and radio frequency (RF, with rectenna efficiency of 36–70 %). For each method, the power density generated, climatic and geographical limitations, as well as environmental effects — from reducing battery waste to potential risks in the production and disposal of the harvesting devices themselves — were analyzed. Based on life cycle assessment analysis, it is shown that transitioning to energy-autonomous IoT systems can significantly reduce the contribution to the global electronic waste flow. Hybrid multi-source systems with intelligent energy management are considered the most promising path to sustainable development of IoT infrastructure. The review covers 40 sources from 2018–2025.

Keywords: energy harvesting from the environment; Internet of Things; photovoltaic converters; thermoelectric generators; piezoelectric effect; triboelectric nanogenerators; RF energy harvesting; electronic waste; life cycle assessment; sustainable development

Download article in PDF format