RF Energy Recycling via Cooperative Relays: A Review of Sustainable Backscatter Communication and Multi-Hop Power Transfer Systems.
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| Title: | RF Energy Recycling via Cooperative Relays: A Review of Sustainable Backscatter Communication and Multi-Hop Power Transfer Systems. |
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| Authors: | Zhai, Yi1 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Hanwen1 (AUTHOR), Mishra, Deepak1 (AUTHOR) d.mishra@unsw.edu.au |
| Source: | Energies (19961073). Jun2026, Vol. 19 Issue 12, p2871. 26p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Energy harvesting, *Backscattering, *Wireless power transmission, *Wireless communications |
| Abstract: | The rapid expansion of wireless connectivity has led to vast amounts of radio-frequency (RF) energy being continuously radiated into the environment, much of which is dissipated due to severe propagation losses. Recycling this otherwise wasted RF energy is, therefore, a critical enabler for energy-efficient and sustainable wireless systems. RF energy harvesting nodes and passive backscatter communication devices provide promising solutions by enabling battery-less or low-maintenance operation for future green networks. However, both paradigms suffer from fundamental limitations, including restricted communication range, near–far effects, and insufficient harvested energy at extended distances. This review examines how cooperative relays can address these challenges by harvesting ambient RF energy and assisting both information transfer and power delivery. From a communication perspective, we review cooperative backscatter communication and harvest-then-transmit (HTT) protocols, highlighting how multi-hop relaying significantly extends coverage and improves throughput for energy-constrained devices. Particular emphasis is placed on tag-to-tag (T2T) backscatter systems, relay-assisted architectures, decode-and-forward and amplify-and-forward protocols, and optimal multi-access time allocation strategies that mitigate the doubly near–far problem in passive networks. From an energy-transfer perspective, the review is structured around three pillars: wireless power transfer (WPT), multi-hop energy transfer (MET), and integrated charging-and-sensing frameworks. We discuss relay deployment and placement optimisation, UAV-enabled mobile energy relays, waveform and beam-forming design, and the transition from idealised linear harvesting models to practical nonlinear rectification models. Key practical constraints, such as regulatory limits, safety compliance, self-interference, protocol overhead, synchronisation, and imperfect channel knowledge, are systematically reviewed. The paper concludes by identifying the scalability limits of multi-hop cooperative systems, outlining how the joint optimisation of energy relaying and cooperative communication enables RF energy recycling for sustainable, low-carbon wireless networks and highlighting open challenges and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
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| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 194909320 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: RF Energy Recycling via Cooperative Relays: A Review of Sustainable Backscatter Communication and Multi-Hop Power Transfer Systems. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhai%2C+Yi%22">Zhai, Yi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Hanwen%22">Zhang, Hanwen</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mishra%2C+Deepak%22">Mishra, Deepak</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> d.mishra@unsw.edu.au</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Energies+%2819961073%29%22">Energies (19961073)</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 19 Issue 12, p2871. 26p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+harvesting%22">Energy harvesting</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Backscattering%22">Backscattering</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wireless+power+transmission%22">Wireless power transmission</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wireless+communications%22">Wireless communications</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The rapid expansion of wireless connectivity has led to vast amounts of radio-frequency (RF) energy being continuously radiated into the environment, much of which is dissipated due to severe propagation losses. Recycling this otherwise wasted RF energy is, therefore, a critical enabler for energy-efficient and sustainable wireless systems. RF energy harvesting nodes and passive backscatter communication devices provide promising solutions by enabling battery-less or low-maintenance operation for future green networks. However, both paradigms suffer from fundamental limitations, including restricted communication range, near–far effects, and insufficient harvested energy at extended distances. This review examines how cooperative relays can address these challenges by harvesting ambient RF energy and assisting both information transfer and power delivery. From a communication perspective, we review cooperative backscatter communication and harvest-then-transmit (HTT) protocols, highlighting how multi-hop relaying significantly extends coverage and improves throughput for energy-constrained devices. Particular emphasis is placed on tag-to-tag (T2T) backscatter systems, relay-assisted architectures, decode-and-forward and amplify-and-forward protocols, and optimal multi-access time allocation strategies that mitigate the doubly near–far problem in passive networks. From an energy-transfer perspective, the review is structured around three pillars: wireless power transfer (WPT), multi-hop energy transfer (MET), and integrated charging-and-sensing frameworks. We discuss relay deployment and placement optimisation, UAV-enabled mobile energy relays, waveform and beam-forming design, and the transition from idealised linear harvesting models to practical nonlinear rectification models. Key practical constraints, such as regulatory limits, safety compliance, self-interference, protocol overhead, synchronisation, and imperfect channel knowledge, are systematically reviewed. The paper concludes by identifying the scalability limits of multi-hop cooperative systems, outlining how the joint optimisation of energy relaying and cooperative communication enables RF energy recycling for sustainable, low-carbon wireless networks and highlighting open challenges and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=194909320 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.3390/en19122871 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 26 StartPage: 2871 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Energy harvesting Type: general – SubjectFull: Backscattering Type: general – SubjectFull: Wireless power transmission Type: general – SubjectFull: Wireless communications Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: RF Energy Recycling via Cooperative Relays: A Review of Sustainable Backscatter Communication and Multi-Hop Power Transfer Systems. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zhai, Yi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zhang, Hanwen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mishra, Deepak IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 15 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 19961073 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 19 – Type: issue Value: 12 Titles: – TitleFull: Energies (19961073) Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
