{"id":8926,"date":"2026-05-11T09:52:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T01:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flywing-tech.com\/blog\/?p=8926"},"modified":"2026-05-11T09:52:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T01:52:18","slug":"energy-harvesting-ics-explained-how-the-ltc3108-works-5-maker-project-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flywing-tech.com\/blog\/energy-harvesting-ics-explained-how-the-ltc3108-works-5-maker-project-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Energy-Harvesting ICs Explained: How the LTC3108 Works & 5 Maker Project Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Energy-harvesting power management ICs (PMICs) like the LTC3108 allow for the creation of battery-free electronic devices by converting ultra-low ambient energy into regulated power.<\/strong> While once restricted to university labs, these ICs are now advanced enough that a maker with a soldering iron and a $10 Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) can build a wireless sensor node in a single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The LTC3108<\/strong>, originally from Linear Technology (now Analog Devices), is the industry-standard “cold-start” harvester. Its ability to start from as little as 20 mV<\/strong>\u2014the temperature gradient of a human handmakes it the de facto choice for industrial IoT, wearables, and edge computing. In this deep-dive, we analyze the LTC3108 internal architecture, compare it against competitors like the BQ25570, and provide five field-tested project schematics for your next batteryless design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article explains how the IC actually works and its performance in comparison to alternative energy harvesting ICs, and presents five practical projects built around the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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