Title: Enhanced data rates with solar energy harvesting

Authors: Emna Bouazizi

Addresses: College of Computing and Information Technology at Khulais, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: The incorporation of energy harvesting into wireless sensor and communication networks offers an exciting pathway toward sustainable and self-sufficient operations. Among the various options available, solar energy is particularly appealing due to its abundance, scalability, and eco-friendliness. Nonetheless, optimising energy harvesting alongside data sensing remains a significant hurdle, especially with the fluctuations in solar irradiance and varying energy requirements. This study explores the balance between energy harvesting and sensing durations in solar-powered wireless systems, with the goal of maximising long-term data throughput while maintaining energy sustainability. We have formulated a time allocation optimisation problem in which a predetermined time slot must be divided between solar energy harvesting and wireless data sensing/transmission. By establishing optimal durations for harvesting and sensing based on realistic solar intensity models, we show that adaptive scheduling provides a notable advantage over static time allocation methods.

Keywords: spectrum sensing; solar energy; throughput enhancement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSNET.2026.151244

International Journal of Sensor Networks, 2026 Vol.50 No.1, pp.19 - 24

Received: 19 Jul 2025
Accepted: 30 Aug 2025
Published online: 19 Jan 2026 *

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