Cutting the Cord: Energy Harvesting and Matter for Smarter Homes

 

 

The energy harvesting market is on the rise, projected to hit $1 billion by 2030, fueled by demand for low-maintenance, eco-friendly IoT solutions. But making energy harvesting a reality requires more than just an energy source—it needs intelligent power management to ensure efficient energy capture and distribution.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Energy Harvesting Adoption

Despite the growing potential of energy harvesting, its adoption in IoT design still faces a few technical misconceptions—particularly around storage management and system reliability. However, these concerns often stem from outdated assumptions. At the heart of every energy harvesting system are three essential elements: the energy source, a storage element, and the application itself.

A common hesitation arises from the perceived unreliability of ambient energy sources and the complexity of integrating energy storage. When paired with a modern power management integrated circuit (PMIC) and a compact, rechargeable storage element, energy harvesting becomes not only viable—but highly efficient, with significantly reduced setup and integration complexity. Unlike oversized disposable batteries, storage elements designed for energy harvesting are smaller, lighter, and longer lasting, offering clear advantages in form factor, carbon footprint, and total cost of ownership.

Another common misconception centers on energy harvesting efficiency. It's easy to assume that low energy conversion rates are to blame when performance doesn’t meet expectations. However, much of the system’s success depends not only on the energy harvesting chip, but also on the PMIC’s ability to manage and regulate power flow—optimizing how energy is captured, stored, and delivered to the application. For this reason, selecting a high-quality PMIC that integrates seamlessly with a high-performance connectivity system-on-chip (SoC) is essential.

The collaboration between e-peas and Qorvo on the Matter-enabled light switch is a compelling example. While the photovoltaic cell provides the energy, it’s the AEM13920 EH-PMIC that ensures that power is harvested efficiently and used wisely, charging the storage element, protecting it from overcharge or deep discharge, and keeping the system running smoothly. Meanwhile, Qorvo’s QPG6200 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) manages communication and connectivity, enabling the light switch to integrate seamlessly into modern smart home ecosystems.

In short, reaching reliable, real-world results from energy harvesting isn’t about pushing the limits of the ambient energy source—it’s about making smart design decisions, starting with intelligent power management.

Advancing Smart Homes with Battery-Free Innovation

One of the most promising applications of energy harvesting is in smart home automation, where reducing battery dependency improves both convenience and sustainability. In their quest to eliminate battery waste and simplify smart homes, e-peas and Qorvo developed an innovative Matter™- enabled light switch that operates entirely on harvested indoor light.

At the core of this battery-free light switch is a photovoltaic (PV) cell that absorbs ambient light and converts it into electrical energy. The energy is then captured and regulated by e-peas' energy harvesting PMIC, which plays a crucial role in optimizing power transfer, supplying stable voltage and protecting the storage element from overcharging or deep discharge. The PMIC also features an I2C bus interface that allows it to communicate with the system’s SoC, enabling real-time monitoring of storage element voltage and additional system diagnostics. This level of visibility not only enhances reliability but also supports advanced features like adaptive power management and performance tuning based on energy availability.

Once stored, the energy powers Qorvo’s Matter SoC, which takes over managing the connectivity and communication of the switch within a smart home ecosystem. As a multi-standard connectivity solution, e-peas chose to implement the QPG6200 because of its unique ConcurrentConnect™ technology. It enables smooth and reliable integration with Matter, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Thread, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices. When the switch is pressed, it transmits a signal to the connected lighting network, activating lights without the need for wired power or batteries.

 

 

By harnessing ambient energy, the e-peas smart light switch is designed to operate for over a decade without requiring any maintenance. Its battery-free design not only eliminates replacement costs but also offers greater installation flexibility—homeowners and businesses can place the switch anywhere without worrying about wiring constraints.

Beyond Smart Homes: The Future of Battery-Free IoT

While smart home devices are a natural fit for energy harvesting, this technology has far-reaching potential beyond lighting controls. In the coming years, self-powered IoT devices could transform industries by eliminating battery maintenance in remote or hard-to-reach locations.

Future applications of energy harvesting include:

• Wearable Health Devices – Continuous monitoring without charging or battery swaps.
• Smart Infrastructure Sensors – Self-powered sensors for bridges, roads and railways, ensuring long-term structural health monitoring.
• Public Transit and Transportation – Kinetic energy harvesting to power vehicle tracking and operational sensors.
• Disaster Response Systems – Autonomous, self-sustaining devices for use in emergency zones where power access is limited.

The growing adoption of energy harvesting solutions in these areas reflects a larger industry trend: the move toward truly autonomous IoT that operates efficiently, sustainably, and without maintenance overhead.

Leading the Charge Toward Sustainable IoT

The energy harvesting-based Matter-enabled light switch is an example of how the technology is moving from concept to reality. By leveraging ambient energy sources, battery-free smart home solutions are becoming viable, reducing environmental impact and making IoT devices easier to manage. As energy harvesting technologies continue to evolve, their potential to redefine how devices are powered is beginning to be realized. Whether in smart homes, industrial settings or public infrastructure, the future of IoT is shifting toward solutions that are smarter, more efficient and truly self-sustaining.

As a leader in connectivity, Qorvo has a wide-ranging ecosystem of partners who are at the forefront of IoT innovation. Its collaboration with e-peas on the Matter Enabled Light Switch marks another significant step in advancing Matter adoption across the IoT industry.

Learn more about Qorvo’s Matter solutions here.

Learn more about e-peas products and ecosystem here.

About the Authors

This article was jointly developed by Qorvo and its partner e-peas. Our authors bring a wealth of expertise in wireless connectivity and energy harvesting solutions. With a deep understanding of customer needs, they work closely with our design teams to drive innovation and ensure alignment with market demands and technological trends.

Thank you to our main contributors of this article: Jhanvi Bansal (Market Developer - Qorvo) and Bruno Damien (Ecosystem Marketing Director - e-peas) for their contributions to this blog post, ensuring our readers stay informed with expert knowledge and industry trends.