Energy-Harvesting IC from ST powers circuits without using battery

STMicroelectronics has made available an energy harvesting IC to power electronic circuits and recharge batteries using either a solar cell or Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG). Harvesting ambient light or thermal energy to power small electronic devices such as wireless sensors, smart-building and industrial equipment controls, wellness and wearable monitors, protects the environment by reducing CO2 emissions, while eliminating batteries and power cabling, so finally enabling the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. In the future, hundreds of millions of these devices operating from tiny quantities of harvested ambient energy are expected to be deployed in environments such as office buildings, houses, hotels, industrial sites, transportation infrastructure and electric vehicles. ST’s SPV1050 is ideal for applications with power requirements from a few microwatts to several milliwatts, and is equally suitable for both indoor and outdoor consumer and industrial applications using either solar or thermal energy. The ultra low-power energy-harvesting IC also provides more functions than competing devices, which aids miniaturization and saves bill-of-materials costs. Both 1.8V and 3.3V regulators are available to power a companion microcontroller or wireless transmitter directly without requiring additional components. Maximum Power-Point Tracking (MPPT) continuously optimi...