Electrostatic Microgenerators

Abstract

Just as the electromagnetic force can be used to generate electrical power, the electrostatic force can also be used to convert mechanical energy into an electrical form. Electromagnetic generators are used in large power stations because scaling laws show them to be superior at larger sizes. However, on the micro-scale, the electrostatic force becomes significant and so is suitable for electrical power generation. There are several different methods of operation in which the electrostatic force can be used to generate electrical energy. In this paper we discuss these methods and their relative merits in terms of power density, the suitability of the method to performing maximal power point tracking and difficulties of generator fabrication