In this episode, we delve into the exciting world of energy modeling and its critical role in shaping a decarbonized future

Podcast: Decarbonizing with Energy Modeling

As solar power becomes increasingly popular, it&rsquo;s essential to be aware of the potential defects that can occur in solar panels. While most panels are built to last decades, a few things can go wrong.Solar panels are essential to the renewable energy equation, but they&rsquo;re not perfect. Defects can occur in manufacturing, leading to visual defects, electrical problems, and decreased performance.<h2>Visual defects</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993848437-visual-defects.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Visual defects are usually the result of physical damage to the solar panel. This can include cracked glass, chipped edges, and scratches. These defects can reduce the amount of light the solar panel can capture, which will, in turn, reduce the amount of power it can generate.Microcracks occur during solar cell manufacturing and module assembling. Preventing cracks is easy when you pick up panels yourself from a warehouse, vertically stacked or wrapped in blankets or foam. Some PV modules are more susceptible to cracking than others. The least crack-prone option would be a monocrystalline module with half-cut solar cells and the maximum number of busbars.<h2>Non-visible defects<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993861519-ir-camera-solar-panel.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h2>Some non-visible or not easily detectable defects are caused by dirt or dust on the surface of the solar panel. These defects can cause the solar panel to absorb more heat than it is designed to or reduce its power output.Also, inadequate spacing between the cells, ineffective light trapping by the cell material, low doping of the cell material, and poor electrical contact between the cell and the metal electrodes can cause such defects.<h2>Electrical defects<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1693993882021-voltage-drop.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></h2>Electrical defects are usually caused by improper installation or wiring. These defects can cause the solar panel to generate less power than it is rated for or to generate power intermittently.Manufacturing defects usually cause maximum power point defects. These defects can cause the solar panel to generate less power than it is rated for at its maximum power point.Open Circuit Defect: This type of defect results in an open circuit in the solar panel, which prevents current from flowing through the panel. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.Short Circuit Defect: This defect results in a short circuit in the solar panel, which allows current to bypass the panel and flow directly to the ground. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.Reverse Bias Defect: This defect results in a voltage difference between the front and back of the solar panel, inhibiting current from flowing through the panel. This can be caused by a break in the panel&rsquo;s surface, a void in the panel&rsquo;s interior, or a damaged connection.<h2>Conclusion</h2>If you have a solar panel with any of these defects, it is essential to have it repaired or replaced as soon as possible. These defects can cause your solar panel to generate less power than it is capable of, which can increase your electric bill.These problems can be caused by several factors, including manufacturing defects, damage during shipping or installation, or environmental factors such as bird droppings or hail storms. While most solar panels are built to withstand these kinds of problems, it&rsquo;s always a good idea to be aware of the potential for defects so that you can be sure to get the most out of your solar panel investment.

As solar power becomes increasingly popular, it’s essential to be aware of the potential defects that can occur in solar panels. While most panels are built to last decades, a few things can go wrong.

How to Detect Solar Panel Defects - Intro

In this episode, we explore a novel renewable energy solution that blends sustainability with aesthetic design—a creative ivy-shaped solar panel system integrated into the façade of the High-Tech Campus Eindhoven.

Podcast: Sexy & Sustainable: Meet The Solar Ivy

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations for the realization of a sustainable society include multiple goals related to environmental conservation.Since the start of the industrial revolution in the latter half of the 18th century, humankind has harvested the materials of the natural world on a massive scale, processed them into industrial products, and consumed them in large quantities. Subsequently, a large volume of waste products was also produced due to such production and consumption. As a result, things that do not belong were dispersed in places in nature where they should not be, which is causing the environment to be destroyed. In fact, desertification due to the logging of tropical rainforests, the destruction of marine ecosystems due to microplastics*1, as well as space junk which impedes future space development, and various other effects are becoming apparent.*1 Microplastics are plastics that are broken down to a size that is invisible to the naked eye during the process in which discarded plastic products flow into the ocean. They continue to drift in the ocean for a long time and destroy the marine ecosystem when marine organisms take the microplastics into their bodies, and there are also concerns that they may pose a risk to the health of people who eat such marine organisms.When it comes to conservation of the global environment, people are apt to focus on the decarbonization of energy. However, such destruction of the natural environment also requires immediate measures similar to decarbonization. Moreover, the movement to utilize the latest technologies to attempt to resolve environment-related issues has become increasingly active. Here, we select non-decarbonization initiatives from within the &ldquo;cleantech&rdquo; technology development movement aimed at environmental conservation to focus on and describe the measures that utilize ICT (information and communications technology) in particular.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEyOTk4NjA2LXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Cleantech is a cluster of multidisciplinary technologies</h2>&ldquo;Cleantech&rdquo; is a neologism that combines the idea of restoring the natural environment to a &ldquo;clean&rdquo; state and &ldquo;technology.&rdquo; Cleantech&rsquo;s aims and the scientific and technological knowledge that are applied are extremely diverse.For example, in the case of alternative plastics, the development of materials to replace substances, which may have a negative impact on the environment if they are simply discarded, into naturally degrading substances is one cleantech initiative. Accordingly, knowledge of fields such as chemistry and materials engineering is required. Moreover, there is also a method that involves reliably separating waste that contains hazardous substances, detoxifying it, and returning it to nature. In order to put that method into practice, you need sensing technologies that sort out hazardous substances, chemistry to detoxify the substances, as well as ICT to reliably and smoothly advance the process of collecting, separating, and detoxifying the waste.Until now, we have gathered the products that are useful for daily life and social activities from the natural world, processed them into industrial products, and skillfully used them. However, by-products during processing and waste as well as products that have served their purpose after use were discarded through methods such as &ldquo;burning,&rdquo; &ldquo;burying,&rdquo; and &ldquo;discharging.&rdquo; That is because it is much more difficult to competently discard something than it is to make it and because people incorrectly believe that &ldquo;if they only throw away a little bit of trash, nature will not be destroyed.&rdquo; However, while humanity has looked away, nature was in fact certainly being destroyed.<h2>The &ldquo;bird&rsquo;s eye,&rdquo; &ldquo;insect&rsquo;s eye,&rdquo; and &ldquo;fish&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that are essential to cleantech</h2>In order to take effective environmental conservation measures, we need to accurately assess the impact on the natural world of the processes of production, consumption and use, and disposal. There are reasons to utilize ICT here.Generally, as perspectives to keep in mind when visualizing and optimizing information, there is the &ldquo;bird&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that looks at the entire picture, the &ldquo;insect&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that pays close attention to the details, and the &ldquo;fish&rsquo;s eye&rdquo; that grasps the change and flow of time and state. Within environmental measures as well, information processing from a multifaceted perspective using these three types of eyes is essential. That is because there is a need to take an extensive view of society as a whole, know the status of the enormous number of items used in the world, and track their origin and movements.For example, in order to respond to waste plastic-related issues, let us say that one company changed its plastic containers to paper containers. At first glance, it may appear to be the appropriate measure, but if paper is used as the material for new containers, the destruction of forests will advance. This cannot be said to be a proper environmental measure. Each company must take a bird&rsquo;s-eye view of the supply chain for their own products and implement environmental measures. Measures from a multifaceted view cannot be accomplished with only the limited senses and cognitive abilities of humans. For that very reason, there is a need to utilize ICT with its enormous computing power.<h2>Recycling society that minimizes the final discarding of items</h2>The products obtained from nature and the industrial products that are made by processing them are essential for living an affluent lifestyle. However, in order to make affluence into something sustainable, we need to decrease the self-centered discarding of items and wasteful consumption.As a form of the ideal social system for environmental conservation, governments around the world are now aiming to realize the &ldquo;recycling society.&rdquo; The recycling society refers to a society that efficiently uses limited resources to circulate them through recycling, etc. while minimizing the items that are permanently discarded without waste in the future while continuing to effectively use resources. It is believed that the recycling society will become a radical measure with respect to both the issues of environmental measures and the depletion of natural resources. In Japan, the &ldquo;Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society&rdquo; was officially announced in 2000, and efforts are underway to define, etc. the obligations, etc. of the nation, local public bodies, and business operators.The recycling society concept promotes the 3Rs consisting of &ldquo;reduce&rdquo; to curtail the occurrence of waste, &ldquo;reuse&rdquo; to reuse resources, and &ldquo;recycle&rdquo; to recycle by adding processing (Figure 1). The EU has already adopted a law that prohibits the distribution of single-use plastics by 2021, and other specific measures are being implemented such as increasing the collection rate of plastic bottles to 90% by 2029. Moreover, there are now also companies that utilize big data and AI to analyze past market demand trends and increase forecasting accuracy to prevent the excessive procurement of raw materials and waste loss due to the production of products and reduce resource consumption.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMDE5MjIzLXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTJlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 1 Flow of goods in a recycling society<h2 id="isPasted">Sharing information about items handled through arterial and venous physical distribution</h2>Moreover, there is also a movement to make it mandatory for companies to perform an environmental impact assessment through the entire product and service life cycle (flow from the extraction of resources to raw material production, product production, distribution, and consumption to disposal and recycling), which is called the &ldquo;Life Cycle Assessment&rdquo; (LCA). In order to implement environmental measures according to the LCA, the impact on the environment must be minimized from various perspectives such as the destruction of the ozone layer, acidification, land/sea/river/atmospheric pollution, toxicity to humans, and the impact on the ecosystem, etc. The evaluation method is standardized as the &ldquo;ISO 14040&rdquo; and &ldquo;ISO 14044&rdquo; international standards for environmental management through the ISO (the International Organization for Standardization).In addition, initiatives are also underway to create a &ldquo;venous physical distribution&rdquo; mechanism that collects and sorts marketed products and waste products in a flow that runs in the opposite direction of the typical supply chain to smoothly facilitate reuse and recycling. To effectively and efficiently carry out venous physical distribution, nothing will be more important than accurately assessing the origin and condition of products that appeared and were used in the market, sharing that information in society, and promoting the appropriate 3Rs (Figure 2). Therefore, the traceability to track and visualize the production, distribution, and usage processes of individual products will become important.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMDQzMTA3LXZhcmlvdXMtdGVjaC03LTNlbi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 2 Sharing information about handled items between typical distribution (arterial physical distribution) and venous physical distributionTo ensure traceability, the utilization of technologies such as barcodes and QR codes, RFID to wirelessly write product and distribution information into semiconductor chips attached to products, as well as IoT (Internet of Things), which will connect individual products to the Internet in the future, etc., are essential. In addition, attempts are already underway to utilize the newest forms of ICT such as the blockchain*2 to track the process as a discarded product is recycled into a new product through the supply chain and the collaborative operations of companies.*2 Blockchain is a technology that encrypts digital information that records the transaction details and process and ensures information reliability by having it supplied by many people on the Internet. In addition to being used as a technology for ensuring the value of encrypted assets, it is also applied to automated transactions using machines.Environmental issues are social issues that are difficult to get a real sense of in daily life, but we are in a critical situation where a bright future cannot be pictured without initiatives aimed at conservation. It can be said that our bright future depends on the evolution and utilization of cleantech.<hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkzMjEzMjEwNTMxLTE2OTMyMTMyMTA1MzEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">GET IN TOUCH</a>

Electronic Technology Supporting the Evolution of “Next Tech”

"Cleantech" to Make the Earth a Planet That Everyone Can Be Proud Of

Energy harvesting for IoT provides a sustainable power solution, enabling self-sufficient devices that extract energy from their surrounding environment, enhancing longevity and reducing maintenance requirements

Evaluating the Feasibility of Energy Harvesting for IoT Products

Batteries are essential for billions of IoT products worldwide, and demand looks set to grow. The global Li-ion battery market was estimated to be worth over $40 billion in 2020 and is expected to increase to more than ten times this amount by 2030&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/2049/lithium-ion-battery-industry/#topicOverview" rel="noopener" target="_blank">according to analyst Statista.</a>Batteries are especially important to IoT devices used in remote monitoring solutions. Many of these products are designed with power consumption in mind and can last for months or years between battery replacements. However, when multiplied by millions, even the occasional need to replace a device&rsquo;s batteries is time-consuming and expensive. And the disposal of millions of batteries generates a significant environmental impact.Moreover, because many batteries contain lithium - typically sourced from mining or extraction from salt deposits&mdash;production can also have a large environmental impact. According to an article in Wired magazine, mining lithium on the salt flats of South America requires 2.27 million liters of water per tonne of lithium.<h2>Limiting environmental impact</h2>Extending battery life (or even eliminating cells) is becoming more practical due to advances in battery technology and the efficiency of IoT chips such as Nordic&rsquo;s SoCs, SiPs, and companion ICs. Such advances make it feasible to charge batteries by harvesting energy from ambient sources (such as solar energy, vibrations, thermal energy, and wind energy). Harvesting energy mitigates some of the environmental impacts of batteries and introduces a more sustainable option.A recent technical report (Energy Budgeting for Embedded IoT Solutions Relying on Energy Harvesting) from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden&rsquo;s largest technical university, detailed the viability of harvesting energy for a heart rate sensor. This medical device was designed to detect panic attacks&mdash;recognized through an abnormal surge in the user&rsquo;s heart rate&mdash;before transmitting an alert and the patient&#39;s identity to healthcare workers.The report found that the heart rate monitor&mdash;which uses Nordic&#39;s ultra-low power <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52840?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52840</a> SoC for computation and wireless connectivity&mdash;was able to collect and transmit the data using &quot;energy partially collected from a vibrational energy harvester and stored in a supercapacitor .&quot;The harvester works by gathering vibrational energy generated by the wearer&rsquo;s heartbeat.<h2>An alternative to batteries</h2>Effective energy harvesting is vital to such applications. Still, how this energy is stored can also significantly impact the end product&#39;s overall viability and eventual capability. For instance, the energy-storage device must retain some power to ensure functionality when there&rsquo;s little or nothing to harvest from the environment. Consider a solar-powered asset tracking device, for example. There might be times when it needs to transmit data at night or on a cloudy day.Batteries are a good option for energy storage but present a key engineering challenge; rechargeable devices such as Li-ion cells degrade slightly each time they&rsquo;re recharged. This means the batteries will still need to be replaced eventually - with the associated inconveniences of maintenance and disposal.Supercapacitors promise a solution. The component is essentially a high-capacity capacitor capable of storing energy for long periods. It is capable of fast charging and discharging to provide power to the end product when harvested energy is unavailable. And supercapacitors can be recharged many more times than Li-ion batteries. The heart rate monitor described in the KTH Royal Institute of Technology report employed a lithium-hybrid supercapacitor, which provided a rated lifetime of five times that of a Li-ion cell at 50,000 cycles.However, IoT medical devices like this heart rate monitor tend to require power peaks due to complex processing requirements and/or frequent transmission. The KTH Royal Institute of Technology report concluded that although the harvester contributed positively to the power of the device, it could not produce enough energy to charge the supercapacitor fully and would likely need the resources of a backup battery.<h2>Energy harvesting operation</h2>While the heart rate monitor&rsquo;s vibrational energy harvester fell short of eliminating batteries, today&#39;s low-power wireless devices can run from some harvested energy sources alone. One example is SODAQ&rsquo;s solar-powered asset tracker. Using Nordic&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf9160?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF9160</a> SiP&mdash;which can enter ultra-low power sleep modes between radio transmissions&mdash;the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2020/11/SODAQ-cellular-IoT-asset-tracker?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SODAQ TRACK SOLAR</a> device employs a half-watt solar panel. It features an accelerometer, light sensor, and temperature sensor. It can send location data to the Cloud using GNSS, Wi-Fi, or cellular IoT.Similarly, AquaSensing&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/01/AquaSensings-Leak-Sensor-10-employs-nRF52832-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Leak Sensor 1.0</a> can function entirely using energy collected from the environment. It works by harvesting energy from any fluid ingress to power the ultra-low power <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52832?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52832</a> SoC. Using the SoC&rsquo;s Bluetooth connectivity, the device can send an alert to the user&rsquo;s smartphone (via the accompanying app) that a leak has been detected.<h2>Battery-free devices point to the future</h2>Energy harvesting from the environment can be beneficial in many ways. For example, it uses sustainable energy sources and reduces the manufacturing and disposal challenges generated by batteries. While batteries will remain important for some time, today&rsquo;s energy harvesting solutions can significantly extend their lives.As detailed in the KTH Royal Institute of Technology paper demonstrated, there are still some limitations for certain forms of energy harvesting, such as vibration. But as wireless chips and <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Power-management?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">power management</a> become more efficient, energy harvesting will likely fulfill its promise and become part of a brighter future.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Batteries are essential for billions of IoT products worldwide, and demand looks set to grow. The global Li-ion battery market was estimated to be worth over $40 billion in 2020 and is expected to increase to more than ten times this amount by 2030 according to analyst Statista.

Energy harvesting shows the way to a sustainable future

The prototype fuel cell is wrapped in a fleece and is slightly larger than a thumbnail. (Photograph: Fussenegger Lab / ETH Zurich)

In this episode, we're exploring a groundbreaking innovation from ETH Zurich that could revolutionize how we power wearable devices. It's time to say goodbye to conventional batteries and hello to a sustainable, continuous, and convenient power source.

Podcast: Power Up Your Wearable Devices with Blood Sugar!

Solar energy harvesting is increasingly being adopted in professional IoT applications, extending beyond hobbyists and makers. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we power our devices. This technology proves to be particularly advantageous for agricultural monitoring and asset tracking, where the difficulty of accessibility and high maintenance costs can be significant. The use of solar energy harvesting in these areas can greatly reduce costs and improve efficiency. Additionally, it has the added benefit of being an eco-friendly solution.<iframe id="645c016f1f67f100087c4425" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="420" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/otii-arc-pro?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>While the idea of solar-powered IoT applications is exciting, it is important to note that effective harvesting is necessary for successful implementation. However, focusing solely on the energy source, such as choosing the most energy-packed battery or the largest solar panels, can increase product size and cost while limiting potential uses. Therefore, it is imperative to optimize solar harvesting for your IoT device, considering the following three factors: access to natural or artificial light, the power consumption profile of the IoT device, and the performance of the solar panel and its energy storage.To determine whether solar energy harvesting is better than battery power for your IoT device, it is important to evaluate its economics. To do this, we recommend following these three best practices:<ol><li>Understand your use cases, including data collection frequency, information transmission, and the environments the device will operate in. This will help you determine whether solar energy harvesting is a feasible option for your device.</li><li>Profile your IoT device power consumption, measuring the energy consumption profile for different duty cycles and power levels to match it with the energy source. This will help you determine whether the solar panel is capable of meeting your device&#39;s energy requirements.</li><li>Profile the solar panel for available energy at the device location, evaluating the current-voltage (I-V) characteristic curve for different light levels to find the maximum power available to meet the IoT device&#39;s energy requirements.</li></ol>It is also important to note that solar panels can utilize artificial indoor light sources like LED, fluorescent, incandescent, and halogen in addition to direct and indirect sunlight to generate electricity. This expands the potential use cases, which require further evaluation. By following these best practices and optimizing solar harvesting for your IoT device, you can ensure that your device is efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly.For detailed information on how to profile and match your IoT device and solar panel check out these <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/blog/solar-energy-for-your-iot-device/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hands-on tutorials</a>. &nbsp;

To determine whether solar energy harvesting is better than battery power for your IoT solution, it is important to evaluate its economics. There are three best practices to find the right economics and IoT solar panel for your device.

Solar energy harvesting for your IoT solution

This article was discussed in our&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1672821999265000&usg=AOvVaw3lLKdHdEN0YvCEsaHI7hx9" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/c687780f-efdb-4e52-8412-221747c93130?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. This means that patients have to obtain the hormone externally to regulate their blood sugar levels. Nowadays, this is mostly done via insulin pumps that are attached directly to the body. These devices, as well as other medical applications such as pacemakers, require a reliable energy supply, which at present is met primarily by power from either single-use or rechargeable batteries.Now, a team of researchers led by Martin Fussenegger from the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel have put a seemingly futuristic idea into practice. They have developed an implantable fuel cell that uses excess blood sugar (glucose) from tissue to generate electrical energy. The researchers have combined the fuel cell with artificial beta cells developed by their group several years ago. These produce insulin at the touch of a button and effectively lower blood glucose levels much like their natural role models in the pancreas.&ldquo;Many people, especially in the Western industrialised nations, consume more carbohydrates than they need in everyday life,&rdquo; Fussenegger explains. This, he adds, leads to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. &ldquo;This gave us the idea of using this excess metabolic energy to produce electricity to power biomedical devices,&rdquo; he says.<h2>Fuel cell in tea bag format</h2>At the heart of the fuel cell is an anode (electrode) made of copper-based nanoparticles, which Fussenegger&rsquo;s team created specifically for this application. It consists of copper-based nanoparticles and splits glucose into gluconic acid and a proton to generate electricity, which sets an electric circuit in motion.&nbsp;Wrapped in a nonwoven fabric and coated with alginate, an algae product approved for medical use, the fuel cell resembles a small tea bag that can be implanted under the skin. The alginate soaks up body fluid and allows glucose to pass from the tissue into the fuel cell within.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgwMDIwNTE0NzQ5LWltYWdlLmltYWdlZm9ybWF0LmZ1bGx3aWR0aHdpZGVwYWdlLjE0MzYwOTQwNTMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Scheme of energy generation and insulin control: when the blood glucose level rises, the circuit is activated and insulin production is stimulated with the generated energy. (Schematic: From Maity D, et al, Adv. Mater. 2023 / ETH Zurich)&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">A diabetes network with its own power supply</h2>In a second step, the researchers coupled the fuel cell with a capsule containing artificial beta cells. These can be stimulated to produce and secrete insulin using electric current or blue LED light. Fussenegger and his colleagues already tested such designer cells some time ago (see <a href="https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2016/12/artificial-beta-cells.html" target="_blank">ETH News</a>, 8 December 2016).The system combines sustained power generation and controlled insulin delivery. As soon as the fuel cell registers excess glucose, it starts to generate power. This electrical energy is then used to stimulate the cells to produce and release insulin into the blood. As a result, blood sugar dips to a normal level. Once it falls below a certain threshold value, the production of electricity and insulin stops.The electrical energy provided by the fuel cell is sufficient not only to stimulate the designer cells but also to enable the implanted system to communicate with external devices such as a smartphone. This allows potential users to adjust the system via a corresponding app. A doctor could also access it remotely and make adjustments. &ldquo;The new system autonomously regulates insulin and blood glucose levels and could be used to treat diabetes in the future,&rdquo; Fussenegger says.<h2>A long, uncertain road to market maturity</h2>The existing system is only a prototype. Although the researchers have successfully tested it in mice, they are unable to develop it into a marketable product. &ldquo;Bringing such a device to market is far beyond our financial and human resources,&rdquo; Fussenegger says. This would call for an industry partner with the appropriate resources and know-how.<hr><h2 id="isPasted">References</h2>Maity, D., Ray, P.G., Buchmann, P., Mansouri, M. and Fussenegger, M. (2023), Blood-Glucose-Powered Metabolic Fuel Cell for Self-Sufficient Bioelectronics. Adv. Mater. Accepted Author Manuscript 2300890. <a name="_Hlk130561400" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202300890" target="_blank">external pagehttps://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202300890</a>

The prototype fuel cell is wrapped in a fleece and is slightly larger than a thumbnail. (Photograph: Fussenegger Lab / ETH Zurich)

A fuel cell under the skin that converts blood sugar from the body into electrical energy sounds like science fiction. Yet it works perfectly, as an ETH Zurich research team led by Martin Fussenegger, Professor of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, has shown.

Generating power with blood sugar

Railways are more energy-efficient than other modes of passenger transportation, with CO₂ emissions per ton-kilometer roughly one-seventh those of passenger cars. The difference is more pronounced over long distances, and high-speed railway networks contribute substantially to energy savings in transport infrastructure.Although high-speed railway networks have long been part of the transport infrastructure of developed countries, developing countries have also moved toward constructing them in recent years. However, countries that have already put high-speed railway networks into practical use and have the corresponding technology are exploring public and private channels for marketing the infrastructure and technology to countries looking to establish networks. The infrastructure and technology must deliver high speeds, low noise, and safety as well as eco-friendly performance through reduced CO₂ emissions now that the focus includes achieving carbon neutrality.Note: We will refer to electric trains as &ldquo;rolling stock&rdquo; for the rest of this article.<h2>Eco-friendliness and electronics technology of rolling stock</h2>Although railways are eco-friendlier than other modes of transport, they still consume a lot of electricity and fuel. Specifically, the worldwide proliferation of high-speed railway networks has increased CO₂ emissions, hampering efforts to achieving carbon neutrality. Therefore, further energy conservation is needed.The key to improving the eco-friendliness of railways is energy-saving in drive systems. Three factors will contribute substantially to achieving this: energy-saving in actual drive systems, downsizing and reducing the weight of drive systems, and reducing the weight of rolling stock. Regarding the first two factors, developing converters and inverters with less power loss in drive systems is essential for reducing energy loads in rail transport and cutting CO₂ emissions. This development requires the adoption of high-performance semiconductor devices and low-loss capacitors and inverters.<h2>Drive system power control technology</h2>Of all the components of rolling stock, drive motors require the most power. To save energy in rolling stock, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of drive motors by limiting their electricity consumption. To achieve this, devices known as &ldquo;inverters&rdquo; are installed to efficiently control drive motors.<h3>Inverter control</h3>Presently, the power for most rolling stock is supplied via alternating current converted to direct current. The device that converts AC to DC is known as a &ldquo;converter.&rdquo; AC motors, air conditioning, lighting, and other equipment requiring AC power are equipped with inverters to convert DC to AC.Inverters not only convert DC to AC, but can also control frequency and voltage, a capacity known as &ldquo;inverter control.&rdquo; Inverter control is widely utilized in air conditioners, microwave ovens, fluorescent lights, and other home electronics. The precision and efficiency of inverter control are major technological determinants of energy consumption in rolling stock, which requires large amounts of power.<h3>Evolution of inverter control</h3>Inverter control has been put to practical use on rolling stock since the 1980s. Originally, inverters worked using a method known as &ldquo;pulse width modulation,&rdquo; or PWM, in which output voltage is changed by converting DC voltage to block pulses through switching and varying the pulse width at regular intervals. Thyristors*1 were used in some of the main circuit elements, but later, gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors*2 became mainstream.The mid-1990s saw the emergence of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs),*3 which offer lower losses and higher-frequency switching than GTO thyristors and thus drove increases in efficiency and voltage control. Additionally, intelligent power modules (IPM), which integrate IGBTs with drive and protection circuits, have improved performance, functionality, and reliability, and have been put into practical use as a technology to advance inverters.1. A type of semiconductor device that performs switching operations (Figure 1). Thyristors are characterized by switching from a non-conductive state (Off) to a conductive state (On) between anodes and cathodes by applying voltage between gates and cathodes to allow currents to flow. These are known as &ldquo;turn-ons&rdquo; (ignitions). Notably, to cause switches to operate, a separate element or circuit is required to turn switches off (initiate a turn-off/extinguish) from the conductive state (On).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc4MTA3NjM2NzY0LWltYWdlXzAwMDFlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 1: Symbols and schematic diagram of a thyristor&nbsp; 2. Thyristors capable of turn-offs&mdash;which ordinary thyristors (See *1 above) could not do&mdash;and thus requiring separate gate circuits. However, disadvantages include slow turn-off times and large power losses because the current flowing through the gates can be 10% or more of the output current.3. Semiconductor devices compatible with large amounts of power, with a MOSFET structure for the input and a bipolar transistor structure for the output (Figure 2). IGBTs reduce loss with lower ratios of gate current to output current than GTO thyristors. Additionally, with a switching frequency outside the human audible range, noise levels are lower when IGBTs are used than when GTO thyristors are used.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc4MTA3Nzk2NzIzLWltYWdlXzAwMDJlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 2: Equivalent circuit of an IGBT&nbsp;<h3 id="isPasted">Inverter control of drive motors in rolling stock</h3>AC motors for rolling stock&mdash;electric motors that provide the driving force for trains&mdash;have become practical thanks to advances in power electronics technology, especially inverters. Using inverters results in substantial reductions in overall losses by providing better weight-to-output ratios than DC motors and eliminating losses from resistors employed in conventional rheostatic control. AC motors in use include synchronous motors and induction motors. Of the two, AC induction motors with variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) inverter control systems*4 are widely used for their excellent durability and user-friendliness. Additionally, with the introduction of IGBT and IPM, which contribute to higher withstand voltages and larger power supply capacities, and the use of three-level inverter systems,*5 AC induction motors are becoming more economical, with less magnetic noise and fewer harmonics that cause electronic equipment to malfunction.4. Converts DC to AC using the same principle as PWM inverters, and also controls the rotation of AC motors by varying frequency and voltage. Under VVVF inverter control, voltage can be varied using high-speed, high-precision switching, and pseudo AC sine waves can be created by cyclically reversing the output direction (Figure 3). &nbsp;5. An inverter capable of outputting waveforms similar to sine waves. Significantly reduces switching losses compared to two-level inverter systems (Figure 3). Additionally, low-pass filters for converting output waveforms to sine waves can be downsized. <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc4MTA3ODM0ODQ4LWltYWdlXzAwMDNlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 3: PWM waveforms for two- and three-level inverter systems&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">Required performance of electronic components of inverter control circuits</h2>Presently, manufacturers are shifting from silicon (Si) to silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) as the materials for the semiconductor devices of inverters to achieve greater withstanding pressure and faster switching speeds. However, as switching speeds increase, the amount of heat generated also increases. Thus, the electronic components of each inverter circuit must also be highly heat-resistant.Inverters comprise not only semiconductor devices, but also rectifier circuits; commutation circuits to operate thyristors; snubber circuits that suppress parasitic inductance, which causes ringing, and noise caused by surge voltage; and more. Capacitors, resistors, inductors, and other components are used in these circuits.Low heat resistance of electronic components requires cooling equipment, and the lower the heat resistance of components, the larger and more complex the cooling equipment tends to be. Installing and expanding cooling equipment increases the weight of the rolling stock and causes excess electricity consumption.Therefore, inverters must comprise heat-resistant electronic components to reduce rolling stock weight and electricity consumption. Inverters must also accommodate circuit board deflection, resist impulse voltage, and otherwise be reliable enough to function normally in demanding operating conditions.<h2>Energy-saving technology and carbon neutrality on high-speed railways</h2>Amid the ongoing construction of high-speed railways around the world, controversy surrounds the immense expense of some, particularly the high-speed rail project linking Los Angeles and San Francisco in the state of California in the United States (scheduled to open in 2033), which is expected to cost roughly 77.3 billion dollars,*6 and the High Speed Two (HS2) project to connect major cities in the UK.National governments are investing extensively in these projects because of the environmental benefits of rail transport over other modes of transport; the level of investment also illustrates how governments are looking to rail transport as a trump card for achieving carbon neutrality, which is considered to be difficult. The trend also applies to new railway networks in developing countries, where electronics technology will undoubtedly attract more and more attention for its ability to reduce CO₂ emissions through energy conservation.6. Source: <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.mof.go.jp/pri/international_exchange/visiting_scholar_program/Seryo_Leopold.pdf" target="_blank">Comparison of High-Speed Railway Investment in Japan and the USA (Japanese Ministry of Finance)</a>. The link leads to a page in Japanese.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc4MTA3ODczOTIxLWltZzAwNC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg1MDg2NjcyNTM4LTE2ODUwODY2NzI1MzgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a class="button-main-action" href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GET IN TOUCH</a><hr>

Railways are more energy-efficient than other modes of passenger transportation, with CO₂ emissions per ton-kilometer roughly one-seventh those of passenger cars. The difference is more pronounced over long distances, and high-speed railway networks contribute substantially to energy savings in transport infrastructure.

Energy harvesting

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