Rethinking Energy Efficiency

Battery replacements and energy bottlenecks are among the biggest challenges in IoT design. But what if devices could operate for years—or even indefinitely—without a battery change?

This report explores the latest innovations in power management: from smart firmware and energy harvesting to advanced battery technologies.

The more sensors, tags, and modules are in use, the more critical energy becomes. Demands are rising: devices must be smaller, more powerful, and long-lasting—yet require minimal maintenance.

Modern power management technologies provide the answer:

1. Ultra-Low-Power Design

New microcontrollers and sensors feature smart sleep states, adaptive radio protocols (e.g. BLE 5.3, Wi-Fi HaLow), and energy-optimized firmware. Devices can remain in deep sleep up to 99% of the time, consuming power only when transmitting or processing data.

2. Energy Harvesting

Solar, RF, vibration, or thermal gradients—energy sources are everywhere and increasingly usable. Combined with ultra-low-power components, they enable virtually maintenance-free systems. Especially valuable in agriculture, logistics, and infrastructure monitoring.

ℹ️ Read more: Energy Harvesting – Powering the IoT Sustainably (EN)

3. Smart Battery Management

Modern battery management systems (BMS) offer precise charge cycles, temperature protection, and voltage monitoring—even in compact IoT devices. This extends battery life and minimizes risk.

4. Solid-State & Thin-Film Batteries

These innovative energy storage systems are compact, safe, temperature-resistant, and mechanically robust—ideal for industrial applications and wearables.

• Smart Agriculture: Solar-powered soil and climate sensors.
• Logistics & Supply Chain: Beacons and trackers with extremely long battery life.
• Building Technology: Self-powered sensors for access, lighting, and energy monitoring.
• Medical Technology: Wearables and monitoring devices with intelligent battery management.

If you’re working on IoT systems that demand ultra-low energy consumption, robust power supply, or battery-free operation, don’t miss these specialists at WIoT Tomorrow:

• Dracula Technologies – Booth L4-10
• Zinergy – Booth L5-08
• Energous  – Booth L1-01
• Powercast – Booth L1-10
• BTRY  – Booth L5-10
• EM Microelectronic – Booth L5-11

These companies are leading the way in powering the next generation of IoT—whether through smart battery solutions or harvesting ambient energy. Their technologies are key to unlocking longer runtimes, lower maintenance, and new form factors.

Designing IoT devices is no longer just about managing energy—it's about using it strategically. Through harvesting, efficient radio design, or intelligent control, the future belongs to systems that run longer, cost less, and do more.

Discover these technologies live at Wireless IoT Tomorrow 2025 – October 22–23 in Wiesbaden.

[Discover Exhibitors] [Open Agenda] [Get Tickets]