The purpose of the energy harvesting forum is to collect and disseminate information related to energy harvesting. Energy harvesting as an area is similar to renewable and alternative energy, but is distinguished from these in that the generated power is not connected to the electric grid, but rather is used to power a standalone electronic device, such as a wireless sensor. Power levels associated with energy harvesting vary from the nanowatt range to tens of watts. Example energy sources that are unique to energy harvesting include mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic radiation, and human motion. Energy harvesting is also distinguished by its use of materials with electrical constitutive properties, such as piezoelectrics and thermoelectrics, for electric power generation. Other topics of interest in the energy harvesting area include low-power converter technologies, low-power wireless technologies, power management strategies, and energy storage.
