Companies develop demo unit featuring solar-powered charging module

NGK Insulators, Ltd. and Torex Semiconductor Ltd. have jointly developed a next-generation charging module equipped with EnerCera and advanced solar cells, such as organic thin-film and perovskite solar cells.

Conventional solar-powered systems typically operate by directly converting solar-generated electricity into system power. However, under weak lighting conditions—such as those found in indoor environments—the power generated is minimal, which limits its practical use.

The newly developed module integrates solar cells, EnerCera batteries (from NGK), and an ultra-low-power PMIC (from Torex), enabling efficient energy harvesting even from weak light sources that produce around 100µW. The energy is stored in the EnerCera battery, which then supplies sufficient power to drive the system, thereby greatly expanding potential use cases.

The combination of flexible film-type solar cells, EnerCera batteries, and power management ICs also allows the creation of lightweight, ultra-thin, and bendable modules that employ the strengths of each component.

Based on these features, the module is expected to be deployed in applications such as wearable devices, IoT edge devices, and indoor environmental monitoring systems for offices and factories.