STMicroelectronics STEVAL-ISV021V1

Overview

STEVAL-ISV021V1 from STMicroelectronics is a complete energy harvesting demonstration kit built around the SPV1050 ultra-low-power harvester and battery charger IC, configured as a buck-boost converter to match a 9.8 V open-circuit, 20 µA short-circuit PV panel and 3.6 V / 120 mAh Li-ion coin cell. It integrates ambient light sensing (SFH5711), real-time MPPT tracking, battery voltage/current monitoring, and USB-powered charging capability.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-ISV021V1 datasheet, STEVAL-ISV021V1 pinout, STEVAL-ISV021V1 application, or STEVAL-ISV021V1 equivalent, this kit supports rapid validation of energy harvesting subsystems for wireless sensor nodes, low-power IoT endpoints, and battery-less industrial monitoring systems requiring sub-µA quiescent operation and irradiance-adaptive power management.

Technical Context

The kit implements a full-system energy harvesting reference design: the SPV1050 IC performs maximum power point tracking using analog MPP sampling (Rmpp = 10 MΩ, Rmpps = 680 kΩ) and regulates output to charge a 3.6 V Li-ion battery with programmable UVLO (VUVP = 3.75 V) and end-of-charge (VCHARGE = 4.2 V) thresholds.

It includes dual LDOs (STLQ50C-R), a dedicated ambient light sensor interface (SFH5711 + 80 kΩ bias), micro-USB input (J28), and two 16-pin extension headers (J25, J27) for connecting external microcontrollers or power monitoring boards - enabling system-level efficiency measurement (MPPT accuracy, conversion efficiency) via included GUI software.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-ISV021V1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless sensor node development, industrial condition monitoring, battery-free IoT endpoint prototyping, and academic energy harvesting research requiring stable component supply and validated reference designs.

Supply support for STEVAL-ISV021V1 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, designing and manufacturing microcontrollers, power management ICs, sensors, and analog devices for industrial, automotive, and IoT applications.

This kit belongs to ST's STEVAL evaluation platform family, specifically engineered to demonstrate ultra-low-power energy harvesting architectures using proprietary SPV-series harvester ICs in real-world lighting conditions.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the SPV1050 IC on this board?

The SPV1050 serves as the core harvester and battery manager: it performs analog-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) from the PV panel, regulates output via buck-boost conversion, and manages Li-ion charging with programmable UVLO and overvoltage protection - all while consuming sub-µA quiescent current.

Can the STEVAL-ISV021V1 operate without the onboard PV panel?

Yes - the board supports alternative energy sources via CN1 (2-pin connector), which accepts external PV panels or thermoelectric generators (TEGs); jumpers J4 and J5 allow isolation or reconfiguration of the input path without soldering changes.

How is ambient light level used in the system?

The SFH5711 ambient light sensor feeds irradiance data into the host system via the extension header; this information is used by the GUI software to correlate MPPT performance and conversion efficiency with actual lighting conditions - not for closed-loop harvester control on this board.

Is firmware or GUI software included with the kit?

Yes - ST provides a Windows-based GUI application that connects via USB to display real-time PV voltage/current, battery voltage/current, MPPT tracking error, and end-to-end conversion efficiency; source code and GUI binaries are downloadable from the STEVAL-ISV021V1 product page on st.com.