Energy harvesting is increasingly being seen as a viable tool for improving the efficiency and sustainability of water distribution systems. In a recent webinar, Mike Hayes, Head of Group for ICT for Energy Efficiency at Tyndall National Institute, shared his perspective on how micro-power energy harvesting can support the digitalisation of water infrastructure—especially when considered from the very start of system design.
Why Energy Harvesting Matters in Water Networks
Water utilities face a growing need to monitor assets in real time—pumps, pressure valves, flow meters, leakage points, and water quality sensors. But many of these assets are located underground or in remote, hard-to-access areas where connecting to the grid is either impractical or too expensive. This is where micro-energy harvesting can help.
By capturing small amounts of energy from the local environment—such as pressure fluctuations, water flow, or even vibrations—it becomes possible to power distributed sensors and communication modules without relying solely on batteries or mains electricity.
The Design Challenge
A major insight from Mike’s talk was that 80% of a system’s energy optimisation potential is determined at the conceptual design stage. In other words, whether or not a water network can benefit from energy harvesting depends heavily on decisions made at the earliest phases of infrastructure planning and technology selection.
This has two important implications for water utilities and technology providers:
Energy efficiency needs to be a design driver, not a retrofit.
Sensor and communication systems must be co-designed with power sources in mind, whether that’s harvested energy, batteries, or hybrid systems.
System-Level Thinking
Mike also highlighted the importance of system-level integration. It’s not just about attaching an energy harvester to an existing sensor. It’s about designing the entire data-gathering system—sensors, processors, wireless modules, and power management—as a unified, energy-aware architecture.
For water utilities looking to scale up digital monitoring across networks, this approach helps reduce long-term maintenance needs, extend sensor lifespans, and make remote monitoring more economically viable.
Takeaway
Energy harvesting in water networks isn’t a future concept—it’s an increasingly practical strategy that requires early-stage planning and cross-disciplinary collaboration. As utilities modernise their infrastructure, embedding energy considerations into the design process will be key to building smarter, more resilient water systems.
The full webinar recording is available here: https://youtu.be/N-aziwPV20w
