Model and prototype of a green electrostatic harvester of vibration energy

This paper presents a green electrostatic harvester of vibration energy based on a mechanically-variable capacitor. Conventional electrostatic energy harvesters rely on a startup battery to precharge the variable capacitor. The proposed harvester operates in regenerative mode and provides a similar output power without the need for a startup battery. A battery-less prototype was developed using a mechanically-variable capacitor made of renewable materials which further reduce the environmental impact.