New Energy

IoT systems capitalize on advances in system miniaturization, integration, portability and connectivity, but the challenge of the power source has always been one of the technical bottlenecks. SITRI is developing various kinds of high-efficiency energy elements and integrated energy supply solutions to address these challenges. SITRI’s new energy technology can provide solutions of the energy supply for mobile communications, portable electronic products and wearable devices.


R&D Capabilities and Services

High-Efficiency and flexible crystalline silicon solar cell

SITRI has developed commercially-ready, thin (80 ~ 110um), flexible and high-efficiency (>23%) bifacial crystalline solar cells based on heterojunction technology, which is ideal for uses in portable and other devices, such as light powered remote controllers, outdoor solar charger backpacks, and solar powered sensor arrays. In addition, SITRI has proprietary solar cell module packaging technology, which enables the packaging of rigid or flexible solar cell modules to meet the requirements of various applications.

Structure of Heterolunction Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell  Efficient Flexible Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell


Solid-State Thin Film Battery

SITRI’s solid-state thin film lithium battery uses an inorganic solid electrolyte instead of traditional electrolytic solution, increasing the battery capacity per unit area, and avoiding problems like the leakage and fire hazards of liquids and other technologies. Through close work with leading global solid-state battery and equipment manufacturers, SITRI has successfully developed thinner (~180um) and lighter solid-state lithium battery technology with longer useful life (number of recharging cycles >1000), a highly competitive battery technology for applications like wearable devices.

Integrated Energy Supply Solutions

To address the self-powering requirements of IOT devices, SITRI develops integrated solutions, combining different technology elements into a single energy supply solution. These solutions combine energy harvesting, power management and energy storage. SITRI’s solutions use energy harvesting approaches such as light energy, thermal energy, mechanical or electromagnetic radiation and so on.


Energy Harvesting Technologies

Apart from light energy harvesting technology by solar cell described above, SITRI also develops solutions which utilize mechanical vibration energy to achieve the total energy needs by taking advantage of the ubiquitous presence of noise and vibration in the IoT environment.

Energy harvesting based on piezoelectric physics has natural advantages including no need for an additional voltage source, simple structure, long life, high energy density and compatibility with MEMS based manufacturing techniques, especially when compared with electrostatic, electromagnetic and magnetostrictive technologies.

New energy-EN-3

The structure, type and material composition of MEMS based piezoelectric energy harvester designs has a great influence on the energy collection efficiency, and of these factors, the choice and composition of the piezoelectric material is the most critical. SITRI is researching commercially-viable alternatives for new piezoelectric technologies.

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