It is projected that nearly 80 million batteries powering IoT devices will be discarded every day by 2025.
Dominance of Battery-powered IoT devices
With the ever-increasing pursuit of portability and functionality, battery-powered devices have become more and more prevalent in the technology landscape. This phenomenon is particularly emphasised and pronounced in the industrial IoT market where many applications hinge on the nature of battery-powered sensors.
Ease of Deployment: Since battery-powered IoT devices do not require access to power outlets or complex wiring, they can be deployed rapidly and in various environments.
Low Maintenance: Compared to wired devices, battery-powered IoT devices generally require lower maintenance. Once deployed, they can operate for extended periods without requiring frequent attention, reducing the operational burden on organisations. Cost-Effectiveness: Advances in battery technology have led to the development of long-lasting batteries at lower costs. This has made battery-powered IoT devices more economically viable, especially for large-scale deployments where cost per unit is a significant consideration.
Scalability: Battery-powered IoT devices are highly scalable since they can be easily deployed and integrated into existing infrastructure without significant modifications. This scalability makes them suitable for applications ranging from smart homes to industrial IoT networks
These miniature characteristics with small-sized batteries are suitable across different industrial operations, They can be effortlessly cut, rolled, and tailored into various shapes and sizes, all while maintaining its battery efficiency.
Dominating the IoT hardware markets, the IoT battery market is expected to grow into a scale over $15.9 billions in 2025, yielding an Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.6% in the upcoming years.
However, the rapid expansion of the IoT battery market also brings concerns regarding its e-waste with associated environmental impacts if not managed properly. At the current rate of adoption, approximately 78 million batteries of IoT devices will be discarded on a daily basis by 2025!
With the appending importance for business operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness of IoT deployment, managing the battery efficiency in remote monitoring activities becomes vital in extending the sustainability of your IoT batteries. To begin addressing this complicated problem, let’s first explore the realm of batteries commonly associated within the IoT market.
Commonly battery choices in the Market/Industry
There are many types of batteries in circulation with many becoming obsolete when newer innovations surface. Regardless their model, small Lithium-ion battery held the largest market share, its high energy density nature has been receiving popularity across industries.
Some older ones being tried and true still stick around and have value amongst the newer, more advanced batteries. The common types include:
Lithium batteries
Lithium Polymer batteries (Li-Po)
Lithium Thionyl Chloride (Li-SOCI2) batteries
Lithium Sulphur Dioxide (Li-SO2) batteries
Lithium Manganese Dioxide (Li-MnO2) batteries
Alkaline batteries
Rechargeable - Li-ion (Lithium-ion) or NiMH (Nickel metal hydride) batteries
The common issues of sudden battery shutdown
In general, a simple yet potentially costly issue is the shutdown of a battery amidst its operation. To combat this issue we first must understand how this occurs in the first place. There are a variety of factors that may cause the abnormal draining of battery life:
Self-Discharge: Self-discharge occurs when the battery has an imbalance in its cells, causing the chemical components to break down and dissipate energy as heat. This leads to a decrease in the battery’s capacity over time.
Extreme Temperatures: Exposure to harsh temperatures, whether too hot or too cold, can negatively impact battery performance and lifespan. High temperatures can accelerate chemical reactions within the battery, while cold temperatures can reduce its ability to hold a charge.
Manufacturing Defects: Occasionally, batteries may have inherent defects from the manufacturing process, such as impurities in the materials or poor assembly, which can lead to sudden failure.
Physical Damage: Physical damage to the battery, such as punctures, leaks, or exposure to moisture, can compromise its integrity and lead to a sudden loss of capacity or failure.
Ellenex Battery Efficiency: Comprehensive and Proactive Management
As one of the most innovative IoT company that leads the industrial applications with up to 5 Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) network technologies, we value the durability and efficiency of battery utilisation just as much as the sensors themselves.
Adhering the Industrial standards and strengths, we mainly use Lithium Thionyl Chloride (LiSOCl2) batteries which are pre-installed and replaceable.
High energy density: LiSOCl2 batteries offer a high energy density, which means they can store a significant amount of energy relative to their size and weight.
Long term reliability: these batteries are known for long-term stability, typically having a stable discharge voltage and IoT device performance over their lifespan.
Wide operating temperature range: LiSOCl2 batteries exhibit a wide operating temperature range, allowing them to function effectively in extreme environmental conditions. They can operate reliably in both high and low temperatures, making them suitable for outdoor applications, aerospace systems, and automotive devices subject to varying climates.
Low self-discharge rate: These have minimal internal chemical reactions when not in use, which helps preserve their stored energy over extended periods.
With comprehensive battery testing and pre-configurations, our solutions mitigate these issues in order to provide long lasting batteries:
Robust design engineered for harsh environment: With over 10 years of experience in the industry, our engineers have designed a robust line-up of products that are sturdy and built for industrial applications, intended to withstand even the harshest of environmental conditions.
Rigorous testing: Our professional team thoroughly tests hardware like battery and sensor components to ensure there are no defects and faulty operation. With smooth deployments, we are confidently providing a 2 year warranty for all of our sensors.
Proactive voltage monitoring: Our end-to-end solution involves accurate and remote battery charge level monitoring, automatically notifying you on any low battery devices (i.e., lower than 3.2 Voltage) that may distort their performances or suddenly shutdown.
On the Ellenex platform, you may simply rely on the battery health widgets (as shown in the above image) on our dashboard or flexibly create your own alert that may warn you at a lower or higher voltage threshold. Either way, we are enabling the power of predictive maintenance to safeguard your uninterrupted operations, offering replacement batteries through out 24/7 Ellenex shop.
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