Energy Harvesting as Strategy for Reducing Vehicles Emissions 2012-36-0114

In vehicular mobility context, it is extremely important for the environmental sustainability that the available energy will be used as efficiently as possible, both in the use of internal combustion engines (ICE) as powertrain, as well in the application of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Motors (HEV/EV). In this comparison, ICE has a lower efficiency when compared to electric motors, wasting much of the potential energy of the fuel in form of heat and noise. On the other hand, the electric vehicles face limitation in autonomy and recharge time, demanding for a more efficient use of energy stored in batteries.

This study aims to present emerging technologies for reuse of energy within the automotive context, originally known as “Energy Harvesting” and “Renewable Energies”. Besides that, it was analyzed their applications and paradigms that corroborate the international targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG - Greenhouse Gas Emissions) such as CO2 and consumption of fossil fuels. As a result of this revision it was generated a descriptive list of potential sources of renewable energy developments related to the energy conversion between various mechanisms, such as energy recovery from shocks and brakes, thermoelectric generators (TEG) on engine and exhaust system, fuel cell systems among others, providing than a scenery of technological innovation opportunities.