NTU Singapore scientists develop inexpensive device that can harvest energy from a light breeze and store it as electricity

 

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a low-cost device that can harness energy from wind as gentle as a light breeze and store it as electricity. When exposed to winds with a velocity as low as two metres per second (m/s), the device can produce a voltage of three volts and generate electricity power of up to 290 microwatts, which is sufficient to power a commercial sensor device and for it to also send the data to a mobile phone or a computer. The light and durable device, called a wind harvester, also diverts any electricity that is not in use to a battery, where it can be stored to power devices in the absence of wind.

 

Leading the project, Professor Yang Yaowen said: “As a renewable and clean energy source, wind power generation has attracted extensive research attention. Our research aims to tackle the lack of a small-scale energy harvester for 1 Meteorological Service Singapore. Climate of Singapore (2022). 2 more targeted functions, such as to power smaller sensors and electronic devices. The device we developed also serves as a potential alternative to smaller lithium-ion batteries, as our wind harvester is self-sufficient and would only require occasional maintenance, and does not use heavy metals, which if not disposed of properly, could cause environmental problems.”

 

For more information:

• NTU News Release
• The Straits Times: Harvesting electricity from a gentle breeze
• The Straits Times: NTU researchers build mini wind harvester to produce electricity from a gentle breeze