Ambient energy harvesting is also known as energy scavenging or power harvesting, and it is the process where energy is obtained from the environment. A variety of techniques are available for energy scavenging, including solar and wind powers, ocean waves, piezoelectricity, thermoelectricity, and physical motions. For example, some systems convert random motions, including ocean waves, into useful electrical energy that can be used by oceanographic monitoring wireless sensor nodes for autonomous surveillance. Ambient energy sources are classified as energy reservoirs, power distribution methods, or power-scavenging methods, which may enable portable or wireless systems to be completely battery independent and self sustaining. The students from different disciplines, such as industrial technology, construction, design and development and electronics, investigated the effectiveness of ambient energy as a source of power. After an extensive literature review, students summarized each potential ambient energy source and explained future energy-harvesting systems to generate or produce electrical energy as a support to conventional energy storage devices. This article investigates recent studies about potential ambient energy-harvesting sources and systems.

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Ulan Dakeev received a master's degree in summer 2011 and is currently enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Northern Iowa. Research interests include renewable energy, wind energy, wind turbines, solar panels, solar energy, and management of renewable energy. Kenan Baltaci, University of Northern Iowa Kenan Baltaci is a doctoral student of industrial technology at University of Northern Iowa. He received B.S. in electrical engineering degree from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey. Following, a master's degree in industrial technology was granted from University of Northern Iowa. Baltaci is currently a doctoral student at University of Northern Iowa and working on hybrid vehicle systems as a research area.

Thermoelectric generators (TEG) are devices that convert temperature differences into usable electricity. TEGs are made from thermoelectric modules which are solid-state integrated circuits that employ three established thermoelectric effects known as the Peltier, Seebeck and Thomson effects. TEGs require heat as an energy source and can generate power as long as there is a heat source such as gas or oil flame, stove, camp fire, industrial machinery, and furnace. Solar modules which convert light energy into usable electricity need direct sunlight to generate maximum rated power. Usually solar tracking systems are used to receive direct sun light to increase the efficiency of the modules. This type of setup increases the cost of the photovoltaic systems. A team of students with a renewable energy projects background compared solar panels with TEGs. The comparison study dealt with efficiency, power generation capability and capacity, cost, size, potential consumer applications, and system installation complexity to generate power. The balance of the system included the number of the components that go into the system. For both devices, two separate laboratory environments were created to measure the power outputs and efficiencies. Both devices were tested at different locations due to operating environments were not similar. A solar PV module was tested under sun light whereas TEG module was tested inside an air conditioner condenser unit on same days. This paper documents test results of the comparison of two energy generating systems and lists potential applications.

the recognition of applied research and development of renewable energy applications at UNI and Iowa in general. Dr. Pecen established solar electric boat R & D center at UNI where dozens of students were given opportunities to design solar powered boats. UNI solar electric boat team with Dr. Pecen's supervision won two times a third place overall in World Championship on solar electric boating, an international competition promoting clean transportation technologies in US waters. He was recognized as an Advisor of the Year Award nominee among 8 other UNI faculty members in 2010-2011 academic year Leadership Award Ceremony. Dr. Pecen received a Milestone Award for outstanding mentoring of graduate students at UNI, and recognition from UNI Graduate College for acknowledging the milestone that has been achieved in successfully chairing ten or more graduate student culminating projects, theses, or dissertations, in 2011 and 2005.