A Simple Energy Harvesting Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Harvesting energy from the environment is essential for many applications to slow down the deterioration of energy of the devices in sensor networks and in general, the network itself. Energy from the environment is an inexhaustible supply which, if properly managed and harvested from the sources, can allow the system to last for a longer period – more than the expected lifetime at the time of deployment, or even last indefinitely. The goal of this study is to develop a simple algorithm for ns-2 to simulate energy harvesting in wireless sensor network simulations. The algorithm is implemented in the energy module of the simulator. Energy harvesting algorithms have not yet been developed for ns-2. This study will greatly contribute to the existing knowledge of simulating wireless sensor networks with energy harvesting capabilities in ns-2. This paper will also serve as a basis for future research papers that make use of energy harvesting.