Anglia Components has announced a new PCB-mounted photovoltaic solar cell line for electronics applications in collaboration with Anysolar, offering a new way for electronics manufacturers to harness light energy.  

The technology

The Anysolar PCB-mounted photovoltaic solar cell range can replace battery and mains power for low-power applications. It can be reflow soldered onto PCBs and parts compatible with traditional hand soldering processes.

The advantages of using Anglia’s photovoltaic cells include:

• Clean energy for sensors
• Low cost
• Long lifespan
• No cell degradation
• No emissions from energy production
• Replaces batteries and mains
• Discreet design
• Powered by indoor and outdoor light energy

The technology is based on monocrystalline silicon free from impurities, so the cells do not degrade like traditional solar cells do. This enables a longer lifespan and peak performance, to reduce recycling rates and keep electronics in service.

The partnership

Anglia has invested in a profile of all the most popular cell sizes and formats of Anysolar’s Gen 3 solar cells. The cells offer a viable alternative power source to battery and mains power for simple sensors. The cell range offers power from 5.5 mA to 1.02 A so is suited to a variety of low-power sensor applications.

Commenting on the partnership, David Pearson, Technical Director at Anglia said, “Anglia is delighted to partner with Anysolar for this new product range which complements many of our established lines, such as low power MCU’s and sensors.”

“Anysolar provides a viable alternative power source for many of our customers applications such as remote IoT sensor nodes.”

KY Choi, President of Anysolar, added, “We are delighted to partner with a distributor that is so well-respected in the UK and Ireland industry. We really value our relationships with our customers and look for partners that share that value. Our solar modules offer Anglia customers an environmentally friendly new power source for their designs.”

How it works

A photovoltaic (PV) cell, also known as a solar cell, generates electricity when exposed to light particles (photons). The Anysolar PCB-mounted photovoltaic solar cell line optimises this process with a large surface area and monocrystalline silicon.

The photovoltaic effect is a physical and chemical phenomenon. When applied to electronics, it can be used to power low-power sensors. This reduces energy draw on a device’s core power source to optimise performance and efficiency.

For devices to become autonomous, PCB-mounted photovoltaic solar cells will also be necessary for energy. IoT devices are a good example. These devices require a self-sufficient power source to run separately from the grid.

In the future, it’s expected that IoT devices will be able to run without wires or batteries and light energy provides the best possible solution.

Anglia’s PCB-mounted photovoltaic solar cell line is capable of powering a wide range of sensors in IoT devices, including robots, drones and consumer electronics. Remote IoT sensor nodes (nodes that collect data and information related to objects passing by, such as in autonomous cars) are a good example of components prime for PV cells.