Comparative Analysis of Common MPPT Techniques for Thermoelectric Generators in Small-scale Energy Harvesting Applications

The thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a very useful energy harvesting device that operates on the basis of the Seebeck Effect and can convert thermal energy into electrical energy. Due to its compact size and usefulness in small-scale applications, it has lots of potential in self-powered internet of things (IoT) devices. These devices are in high demand, and to be sustainable, they must be in line with green IoT principles. To cater to a wide range of green IoT devices, an array of TEGs can be used. The main problem that can occur is temperature mismatch within the TEGs of the array. If not suitably managed, the maximum potential of this energy source cannot be utilized. To compensate for this, an electronic interface with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) can be utilized. This study will propose a potential electronic interface and compare two commonly used MPPT techniques to judge their suitability for small-scale energy harvesting applications.