wastedspark

Wastedspark is a term used to describe a class of technologies and design approaches aimed at extracting energy or value from waste streams that would otherwise be discarded. It emphasizes turning residual energy, heat, motion, or materials into usable power, heat, or resources, and is often linked to the broader goals of energy efficiency and the circular economy. The concept is used in both academic literature and industry discourse as an umbrella for multiple technologies rather than a single device.

Technologies commonly associated with wastedspark include thermoelectric generators that convert temperature differences into electricity, piezoelectric harvesters that generate power from structural vibrations, and bioelectrochemical systems such as microbial fuel cells or anaerobic digesters that harvest energy from wastewater and organic waste. Additional methods include waste-heat recovery, material upcycling that recovers chemical energy or reuses process streams, and small-scale energy systems designed to operate on degraded or discarded energy sources.

Applications include manufacturing and processing facilities seeking to reclaim waste heat, data centers and electronics that harvest ambient heat or vibrations, and remote sensing networks that rely on energy scavenging to extend battery life. While promising, wastedspark technologies face challenges such as low energy densities, high upfront costs, integration with existing systems, reliability in harsh environments, and the need for supportive policy and standards.

Etymology: a portmanteau of waste and spark, signaling the ignition of value from discarded sources.