A survey on green energy harvesting applications using linear electric generators

This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the energy harvesting concept in the current social and technological context, with the intent to draw attention to linear generators, in different topologies, as competitive candidates in green energy conversion microsystems. The emerging technologies of energy scavenging are discussed, examining both the environmental sources and a selection of applications based on this concept; consequently, an insight report of appropriate linear generators based on this concept is done, outlining aspects regarding their design methodology and modeling. The portability of the harvesting system, with some implemented applications, is also a subject of concern that is taken into account in this review, intended to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of these scavenging techniques and to validate the challenges of using linear generators in this scope.