Piezoelectric Converter for Wind Energy Harvesting

This paper presents wind energy harvesting using piezoelectric material. The method includes a proposed topology which utilizes multiple inputs for a DC-DC converter. The new topology is derived from a standard buck topology but allows for sourcing from multiple inputs either independently or simultaneously. The purpose of this topology is to take advantage of several sources of energy harvesting from renewable sources, and specifically aimed at piezoelectric wind harvesting. This paper derives the general transfer function for the new topology and provides simulations for various cases to show proof of concept. Results from computer simulations demonstrate the potential and benefits that the proposed topology offers for harvesting wind energy using piezoelectric.