Feature: Energy Harvesting
new rules governing the recycling and management of lithium batteries at their end of life. Given the environmental harms associated with batteries, and the costs involved in compliance with regulation, it is not surprising that product manufacturers are turning to energy harvesting as a green alternative power source, most oſt en using an on-device photovoltaic cell to generate electricity. T is is bringing the green credentials of
supercapacitors into the spotlight, since energy harvesting systems require a form of energy storage, and a battery is the least green option. Supercapacitors might appear at fi rst
glance environmentally friendlier, as they typically contain no cobalt, although some hybrid supercaps contain lithium electrodes. But traditional supercaps have other pollutants hidden inside their case, including PFAS. So, manufacturers of products with an autonomous, wire- free power supply cannot achieve true sustainability just by implementing energy harvesting. Use of a traditional supercap might cause less harm than a battery, but it defi nitely does not eliminate the harm.
A new safe, non-toxic supercapacitor It was this absence of a green option for energy storage which led Ligna Energy to create a completely safe, non-toxic supercap. Ligna’s S-Power supercaps are based on bio-materials, including active carbon electrodes derived from coconut husks and
a paper separator made from a material derived from forestry products (see Figure 2). T e S-Power products contain no toxic or harmful chemicals, no heavy metals and no PFAS. T ey are completely safe on disposal, and unlike batteries or traditional supercaps, are easily recyclable by standard methods such as shredding and washing, or by recovery through incineration. So, what is the big diff erence between
Ligna Energy’s approach, and the wider electronics industry’s continued tolerance of the use of toxic ingredient materials? We believe that it starts with our ethos, which underpins our business practices. Ligna Energy’s mission is to provide green and safe energy storage solutions which drive the development of the Internet of T ings industry in a more sustainable direction. T is mission is being realised through the development of the S-Power products, and the innovations in high-volume production which make the technology’s commercialisation possible. And underlying this practical goal, Ligna has followed two important principles of operation: • An end-to-end green design philosophy • A commitment to original research to discover and deploy new non-toxic materials where necessary T e green design philosophy is expressed
in a commitment to sustainability in every aspect of a Ligna product. Not only the use of non-toxic and bio-based materials, but also innovations which reduce the carbon footprint of the product, just 6g CO2e per unit for the 1.2F S-Power 2S, as well as
Fig.2: Ligna Energy uses active carbon electrodes and other bio-
materials in the composition of the S-Power supercaps
Fig. 3: A concept design for a smart indoor thermostat using harvested light energy stored in a Ligna Energy S-Power 2S supercap
active partnerships with energy harvesting product manufacturers to make it easier for OEMs to replace batteries with PV cells or other forms of harvesting (see Figure 3). T e other important aspect of Ligna’s
approach is the commitment to discovering new, safe alternative materials. To create a completely non-toxic supercap, Ligna Energy could not simply specify a set of known components and assemble them in accordance with existing product ‘recipes,’ it had to perform scientifi c research to test and validate new, safe materials, and then develop specialised production methods for assembling them in a supercap with precise, repeatable characteristics. T e combination of a unique manufacturing set-up, a fl at form factor and validated material innovations form the core of Ligna Energy’s distinctive appeal; the marriage of sustainability and cost eff ectiveness. In other words, the S-Power products
are the result of a deliberate, purposeful research eff ort aimed at creating a truly sustainable and safe alternative to existing supercap products that were neither sustainable nor safe. T is, then, is how the electronics industry can pursue a path to the elimination of harmful chemicals, and not just a reduction in their use, or mitigation of the eff ects of their use, through an adherence to the principle of causing zero harm, and a commitment to the research and development required to create new alternatives to dangerous and unsafe materials in use today.
www.lignaenergy.com
www.electronicsworld.co.uk April 2025 17
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