Microenergy technology

Abstract

The term microenergy technology refers to the conversion, electrical conditioning, storage and transmission of energy on a small scale. Its goal is to improve the energy density and thus extend the operating time of battery systems, as this can be a limiting factor for many electronic applications. A fundamental distinction is made between technologies based on the conversion of conventional energy carriers with a relatively high energy density (such as hydrocarbons and alcohols) and those which passively transform energy from their local environment, such as light, heat and motion, into electrical power (and heat). The latter are grouped together under the term energy harvesting, reflecting the passive way in which the energy is transformed in the absence of chemical energy carriers. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.