Jakarta, INTI - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universitas Pakuan (UNPAK), has initiated a research partnership to develop rectenna technology capable of harvesting energy from ambient electromagnetic waves (ambient radio frequency energy) and converting it into electrical energy as an alternative renewable energy source.
This collaboration is part of an effort to foster the development of innovative renewable energy technologies amid rising energy demands and the rapid advancement of wireless communication technologies. Various communication infrastructures continuously emit electromagnetic waves into the environment, while reliance on fossil fuels remains a global challenge.
To support the development of this technology, BRIN, UniKL, and UNPAK have agreed to divide roles based on their respective areas of expertise. This agreement was reached during a cooperation discussion held at BRIN’s Samaun Samadikun Science and Technology Area (KST) on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Nasrullah Armi, Head of BRIN’s Research Center for Telecommunications, stated that the collaboration brings together the expertise and experience of each institution, enabling the research to be developed sustainably.
"Through this partnership, the research can be advanced sustainably, covering everything from design and simulation to the testing phase," said Nasrullah.
Multiband Rectenna can Capture Energy from Multiple Frequency Bands
To optimize the research process, UniKL and UNPAK will focus on antenna development, including design, simulation, optimization, and performance evaluation. The development specifically targets multiband antennas suitable for energy harvesting applications.
Meanwhile, BRIN’s Research Center for Telecommunications will develop the rectifier, a circuit that converts the electromagnetic wave energy captured by the antenna into electrical energy with high conversion efficiency, particularly under low input power conditions.
Through this division of roles, the research aims to develop a rectenna featuring effective impedance matching and an antenna design integrated with the rectifier to enhance power conversion efficiency, targeting applications within the 100 MHz to 6 GHz frequency range.
A key innovative aspect of this research is the development of a multiband rectenna. The design is expected to capture and harvest energy across multiple frequency bands simultaneously, thereby increasing the potential to harness energy from various electromagnetic wave sources, such as GSM, LTE, Wi-Fi, and other wireless communication services.
Nasrullah hopes that this collaboration will not stop at the simulation stage but will proceed to the testing and technology development phases.
"The hope is that this collaboration will continue and yield research outcomes that go beyond simulation, advancing into testing and technology development," he said.
Conclusion
BRIN, UniKL, and UNPAK have established a research collaboration to develop rectenna technology capable of harvesting energy from ambient electromagnetic waves and converting it into electricity as a renewable energy alternative. Under this partnership, UniKL and UNPAK are focusing on developing multiband antennas, while BRIN focuses on creating high-efficiency rectifiers to optimize energy conversion at low power levels.
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