Energy Harvesting in Device-to-Device Communication Networks
Summary
Energy harvesting in device-to-device (D2D) communication networks addresses the growing demand for autonomous, low-power wireless links that operate alongside cellular infrastructure. By enabling proximate devices to exchange data directly, D2D links reduce latency and offload traffic from base stations. Energy harvesting techniques allow these devices to scavenge power from ambient radio frequency fields, dedicated power beacons or environmental sources such as solar and kinetic energy. Key challenges include the management of co-channel interference, efficient resource and power allocation under stringent energy budgets, and the impact of channel fading on both energy capture and data transmission. Analytical frameworks based on stochastic geometry and optimisation theory have been developed to characterise network performance and design allocation algorithms that balance spectral efficiency, energy efficiency and quality-of-service requirements. Practical applications span the Internet of Things, wearable health monitors, wireless sensor networks and smart city deployments, where self-sustaining nodes can prolong network lifetime without frequent battery replacement. Advances in hybrid architectures—combining relay-aided schemes, power-splitting protocols and ambient backscattering—underscore the global significance of energy-harvesting D2D as a cornerstone of future green and resilient wireless systems.
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Energy Harvesting in Device-to-Device Communication Networks publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in energy harvesting in device-to-device communication networks across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Device-to-Device (D2D) communication: Direct wireless exchange of data between two proximate devices without base station involvement.
Energy harvesting (EH): The process by which devices capture and convert ambient energy sources, such as radio frequency signals or solar power, into electrical energy.
Stochastic geometry: A mathematical framework used to model and analyse the spatial distribution of nodes and interference in wireless networks.
Power splitting protocol: An energy harvesting technique where a receiver divides incoming radio frequency signal power between information decoding and energy harvesting.
Ambient backscattering: A low-power communication method that reflects existing radio waves to transmit data without traditional RF transmitters.
References
- Power Distribution of D2D Communications in Case of Energy Harvesting Capability over κ-μ Shadowed Fading Conditions. Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks (2023).
- An Optimal Balanced Energy Harvesting Algorithm for Maximizing Two-Way Relaying D2D Communication Data Rate. IEEE Access (2022).
- Performance of Hybrid Transmission of a D2D Communication With Energy Harvesting and Ambient Backscattering. IEEE Access (2024).
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