Empower#IoT

School of Life Sciences

Autonomous solar-powered IoT sensors for smart cities

Smart cities use sensors to monitor air quality, traffic flow, noise levels and other urban parameters in real time. These sensors collect and share data via a system of networked devices known as the Internet of Things (IoT). However, most of these devices are powered by disposable batteries or require complex cabling. This results in high installation costs, frequent maintenance and an ever-increasing volume of electronic waste.

The EMPOWER#IoT project aims to change this by developing a new generation of solar-powered sensors that work even in the shade or under streetlights. Thin-film photovoltaic technologies, namely organic and perovskite solar cells, will be integrated into next-generation modules with purpose-built control electronics, creating fully energy-autonomous sensor nodes that will be validated under real-world urban conditions.

The FHNW School of Life Sciences leads the project's eco-design and recycling work. We will develop hydrometallurgical processes to recover critical materials from end-of-life organic and perovskite solar cells. Through lifecycle assessment (LCA), we will translate research findings into actionable eco-design strategies for real use.

In close partnership with Novartis, we will apply these strategies to their building-integrated organic photovoltaic installation in Basel, demonstrating how sustainable end-of-life solutions can be implemented at scale.

Market need

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the fastest-growing technology markets, driving smart city applications from real-time air quality and noise monitoring to temperature sensing and flood detection. Yet the widespread deployment of IoT sensor networks is held back by high maintenance and installation costs, including battery replacement cable installation. Conventional silicon solar cells offer a partial solution, but their poor performance under partial shading, diffuse radiation, and artificial light makes them ill-suited to urban environments. These limitations are slowing down the roll-out of smart city technologies.

Output and impact

New thin-film photovoltaic technologies, namely organic and perovskite solar cells, for IoT sensors
Integrated eco-design principles and recycling strategies for photovoltaic materials that reduce waste and limit the use of critical raw materials
Field tests with partners in France, Germany and Switzerland that demonstrate the potential of solar-powered, self-sufficient sensors
More reliable data at lower cost with less waste and more environmentally friendly technologies for cities and businesses

Project details

Type: Research project
Research areas: Applied circular economy
Topics: Biology and chemistry, Digital industry and optimisation, Digital transformation and technologies, Digitisation and digital transformation, Energy, Environment and sustainability, Environmental management, Environmental technology and recycling, Geomatics, geoinformation and spatial data analysis, Materials, process engineering, Natural sciences, Product and process design, Sustainable construction and energy efficiency and Technologies and engineering
University: FHNW School of Life Sciences / Institute for Ecopreneurship
Partner: University of Freiburg, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Eurométropole de Strasbourg.
Funding: INTERREG 2021-2027; Synergie-CTE Nr. 21937. Co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Upper Rhine programme, the Grand Est region, the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg, the Ministry of Science and Health of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, the Swiss Confederation, and the cantons of north-western Switzerland.
Running time: 2026 - 2028