Rising energy prices and a desire to become more environmentally friendly are among the reasons that a new survey has found that energy harvesting materials such as solar panels have become increasingly popular in recent years.

According to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan titled Energy Harvesting Materials - The Road Ahead, it was determined that materials that are used to create self-powered devices have been on the rise due to continued developments in numerous fields, including the solar panel and photovoltaic technology market.

"The design of a successful energy harvesting module depends not only on the material's efficiency, but also on the module architecture, which could be the critical factor defining effectiveness," said Technical Insights Industry Analyst Krzysztof Grzybowski. "Developers must place equal emphasis on material development and smart utilization."

Despite the increased interest in renewable energy products, the survey added that many of the projects had still been hindered somewhat by restrictions on the use of certain materials by the government, such as the use of cadmium telluride for solar cell applications.

The survey also found that several manufacturers around the world had begun selling their own renewable energy sources to commercial companies. Despite the fact that only a small number of the projects had been approved for high-volume production, the survey added that more widespread use of them in commercial operations was essential if the renewable technologies were ever going to gain more widespread use.