The Operational and Environmental Challenges of Powering Tracking Solutions
In today’s fast-paced industries, IoT asset trackers have become indispensable tools for managing and monitoring valuable resources. However, these devices face significant challenges, particularly concerning power management. When a tracker runs out of battery, it not only stops relaying critical data but also necessitates costly maintenance, especially for organizations with extensive fleets of trackers. The process of replacing depleted batteries can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, posing operational nuisances that businesses would rather avoid. Additionally, the environmental impact of battery disposal cannot be ignored, especially in an era where sustainability is paramount.
With the anticipated surge of IoT devices globally—projected to reach over 100 billion by 2050—the volume of batteries required is staggering. This scenario raises pressing concerns, as the forecast suggests the potential waste of 100 billion AA batteries, equivalent to filling 300 Olympic-sized swimming pools with toxic waste. Clearly, the IoT sector bears a responsibility to mitigate this environmental crisis. The solution lies in developing low-power devices that maximize their energy efficiency. By harnessing solar energy, these devices can utilize sustainable sources like sunlight and ambient indoor lighting, significantly reducing dependency on traditional batteries.
Integrating Solar Power for Effective Tracking
While integrating a solar panel is a step forward, it is not the sole solution for creating an efficient solar-powered tracker. The effectiveness of solar energy harvesting depends on selecting appropriately sized solar panels and pairing them with versatile, high-performance power management ICs (PMICs) like the AEM10941. This ensures that enough energy is generated to power the device reliably.
No More Battery Changes
To tackle the multifaceted challenges of solar-powered asset tracking, a comprehensive approach is essential:
- Low Power Consumption: The device must utilize components designed for minimal power usage, while smart embedded software regulates onboard processes to draw power only when necessary.
- Efficient Energy Harvesting: The tracker must be capable of harvesting solar energy efficiently, even under low light conditions.
- Energy Storage Solutions: It’s crucial for the device to store the accumulated energy to maintain functionality during periods without light.
SODAQ, a leader in low-power asset tracking, has partnered with e-peas to address these challenges. Their collaboration has birthed the TRACK Solar, a compact solar-powered tracker tailored for various outdoor asset tracking applications.
SODAQ TRACK Solar Features
Equipped with e-peas’ AEM10941, the TRACK Solar utilizes a 6.9 x 6.9 cm Monocrystalline Solar Panel, effectively harvesting solar energy. It stores this energy in a 2400mAh lithium-ion battery, allowing the tracker to function for up to a month without sunlight. The AEM10941 PMIC is pivotal in enabling the tracker to harvest energy at very low voltages, allowing for a smaller solar panel and device footprint. Furthermore, this e-peas technology enhances battery longevity by optimizing the depth of discharge, with TRACK Solar expected to last over five years in the field.
Combining expertise from both companies, the TRACK Solar can monitor the location of non-powered assets indefinitely, eliminating the need for battery replacements. Users also gain access to a cloud platform for real-time asset tracking, device configuration, and over-the-air updates. SODAQ’s dashboard allows users to tailor their tracking experience, including setting motion-triggered alerts and message frequency.
Versatile Use Cases for TRACK Solar
TRACK Solar is designed for outdoor asset tracking in sunny environments, making it ideal for various applications. For instance, construction sites can benefit from tracking equipment such as compressors and generators, enabling faster asset retrieval and workflow optimization. Airports can utilize the technology to monitor ground support equipment, ensuring efficient management and preventing asset loss.
With the TRACK Solar we are already saving the equivalent of more than 50 non-rechargeable batteries per device over a 5 year lifespan, but what is even more exciting is that we are able to go batteryless by using e-peas AEM10941 and a supercapacitor that holds the charge from the solar panel in the moments where it isn’t catching sunlight. This means we will go completely batteryless, having an unlimited number of charge cycles and therefore a much more sustainable device.
Ollie Smeenk, Sodaq CEO
The Benefits of Energy Harvesting in Asset Tracking
- No Battery Changes: Expected lifespan exceeds five years without battery replacement.
- Reduced Maintenance Costs: Significantly lowers operational expenses.
- Environmental Impact: Minimizes battery waste and ecological footprint.
- Extended Product Lifetime: Enhanced durability through efficient energy management.
- Optimized for Sunlight: Effective in outdoor environments with sunlight or ambient light.
Technical Specifications
- SODAQ TRACKER:
- AEM10941:
- Integrated energy management circuit that extracts DC power from solar panels and manages energy storage effectively.
- Capable of powering a wide range of wireless applications in sectors like industrial monitoring, geolocation, home automation, and e-health.
Discover More About AEM10941
For those interested in acquiring the TRACK Solar, it is available as a revolutionary B2B solution with a minimum order quantity of 1,000 units. The device is compatible with various connectivity and platform providers. To explore business opportunities, please reach out to SODAQ’s sales team at sales@sodaq.com. They are ready to assist in identifying key components for your business case and provide support for pilot services and technical integration.
About e-peas
e-peas develops and markets disruptive ultra-low power semiconductor technology. This enables industrial and IoT wireless product designers to substantially extend battery lifespans and eliminate the heavy call-out costs of replacing batteries, without in any way compromising on reliability. Relying on 15 years of research and patented intellectual property, the company’s products increase the amount of harvested energy and drastically reduce the energy consumption of all power consuming blocks within wireless sensor nodes. Headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, with additional offices in Switzerland and the USA, e-peas offers a portfolio of energy harvesting power management interface ICs, microcontrollers and sensor solutions.
Website: www.e-peas.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/e-peas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/epeas_news
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/epeas
About Sodaq
SODAQ is a leader in low-power sensing and tracking solutions. Since 2012 the company has been a pioneer in the field of creating autonomous devices using low-power wide area networking and energy harvesting. SODAQ provides a range of asset tracking solutions for businesses as well as offering custom hardware, software and industrial design development as a service.
SODAQ is motivated by a vision of seeing a world without batteries and aims to be the primary driver of sustainability within the Internet of Things industry.
Website: https://sodaq.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sodaq
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_vO0wp9-83KMZZHiuK3lAQ