I think it's the same meaning. However, sometimes there may be a difference. Example:

According to following paper at Figure 2 a and b:

Figure 2. (a) Energy scavenging indirectly from ambient vibration

and (b) energy harvesting from a direct force source.

http://iopscience.iop.org/0960-1317/21/9/095016/pdf/0960-1317_21_9_095016.pdf

They are the same..

There are differences between the Energy scavenging and

Energy Harvesting

I believe that, harvesting is more similar to collecting and scavenging is more similar to scanning. However they have similar meaning in the RF domain of Energy Conversion etc.

Dr George Giannakas

Yes, they have similar meaning in the RF domain of Energy Conversion etc.

Scavenging seems to associate more with the hunt for sources, and harvesting comes after that. Scavenging can also mean collection in small quantities.

There are differences between energy harvesting and scavenging.

The sole purpose of system which harvest energy is to generate energy from a particular or multiple sources. This could be either conventional or renewable energy like solar, wind etc .

In energy scavenging, the main functionality of the system is not energy harvesting. It is harvesting energy sufficient to supply its own requirements. For example, in satellites, solar PV panels or some other source of energy are used to sustain its operation. Similarly in remote communication, wireless remote devices, energy scavenging is done to sustain its power requirements.

No matter if it is scavenging or harvesting energy from the source(s), the main purpose is to HARVEST the energy for any type of REQUIREMENT.

After all, could we say ---> there are no well known parameters for energy scavenging then it is more like scanning or hunting while it is a strict collection of energy for energy harvesting. Finally, the power requirement should be reached.

Exactly...

Harvesting energy is usually for energy generation especially, and Scavenging is used for energy outsorsing and transfer for collection

Nantakan Muensit

I agee your obtion!

Can you give me example of real systems?

Hi , Asim I think one of the examples for energy harvesting is a piezoelectric energy harvester placing on a gear of a helicopter. It is supplied directly the vibrations and the vibrations lead to an electricity to feed a sensor (s) necessarily used in the helicopter.

In case of examples for energy scavenging in real systems (not in simulations)......not easy.

Thanks Nantakan.

Hi. I think 'Energy Harvesting' is mainly the act of obtaining energy from the environment in order to feed electric or electronic applications, and 'Energy Scavenging' refers to the same action but not only from the environment, but also from any other source of energy available in the moment.

Hi, any other source of energy available in the moment ---> like human movement?

Human movement is part of my research, but in that case is considered "environmental source of energy". The sources I was talking about is any kind of fuel or auxiliar energy.

I hope I am explaining myself

I've read the report on human walking,running, climbing of Dear Eduardo Bayona (it's in his RG). It is obvious that there is a little difference between Energy harvesting and Energy scavenging. The first , you need to find theway to generate the energy output to collect and transfer. So it is necessary to know almost all about them such as a velocity, an acceleration etc. The latter, Energy scavenging, you hunt the outsources of energy, for example, light (photon), drops of rain ( if possible) etc. And you may know or may not know all parameters about them. The rest of the process is the same - store or transfer the collected energy to feed appropriate electronics.

That answer is just perfect Nantakan, it has made things clearer to me. Now I can't understand much better the difference between concepts in order to be accurate in all my job around this.

Nantakan Muensit

I agree your obtion!

Energy Harvesting Vs. Energy Scavenging:

Although used interchangeably, they are not the same. Difference lies mainly in the meaning, and the Scale of Activity. Scavenging means to feed on the refuse and left overs. Harvesting on the other hand means a bountiful process and systematic process and there is a major energy gain (100% activity).

Moreover, Harvesting is systematic process and the main activity (or at least the primary or Major activity of the system). e.g. Wind energy harvesting, Solar energy Harvesting etc. where a lot of energy is harvested and supplied to the main energy grid.

Energy Scavenging happens on much a smaller scale (it is sub process and not the main system activity). E.g. the Energy reclaimed from the unused portion of energy that is dumped ( usually for reasons of efficiency by a Major energy consuming Process). Example could be Regenerative braking where energy that is lost during braking ( as friction, heat and noise) is reclaimed and reused for acceleration at start. Regenerative braking here cannot be the main source of energy supply. It scavenges a portion of the energy dumped during braking. Another example would be the use of Hot water from heat exchangers in a process plant used to preheat some raw material to some temperature above . This usually helps improve efficiency of the system by a few % points or helps reduce the dependency on the main source of energy partially and hence reduces cost by a few % points. In short, Scavenging = reclaiming and Harvesting = generation.

Thanks indeed, Veera Ragaven Sampath Kumar. I hope all the colleagues are glad to see impressive definitions and examples above.

Thanks Veera for the explanation, so for device such as wireless sensor, micro electronics, the correct term is energy harvesting, but for device like shoe-mounted piezo or solar clothing the term to be used is energy scavenging.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889974600903554

http://www.powerelectronictips.com/difference-between-energy-harvesting-scavenging/

https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/8728/87280S/Survey-of-energy-harvesting-and-energy-scavenging-approaches-for-on/10.1117/12.2016238.short?SSO=1

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6926914

it is a valid question, and an interesting classification to identify the sourse of energy we are using

Energy-harvesting technologies are fundamental in enabling the realization of ‘‘zero-power’’ wireless sensors and implementing the Internet-of-Things(IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication.

Please find this article,

https://tentzeris.ece.gatech.edu/Procs14_Tentzeris.pdf