Solar-Aware LEACH-EEKA: An Energy Harvesting-Based Clustering Protocol for Self Sustaining IoT-Enabled Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which are a key technology for modern IoT, have their battery power and energy usage not balanced, hence they face the problem of limited life time. The Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol is an enhancement of energy efficiency through clustering, though it has drawbacks in that the cluster heads (CHs) are selected randomly and there is a rapid discharge of energy. To overcome these problems, Solar - Aware LEACH–EEKA is proposed as a hybrid clustering protocol integrating LEACH, an Energy-Efficient knapsack Algorithm (EEKA), and solar energy harvesting to improve network sustainability. EEKA provides an optimized cluster formation process based on residual energy, distance to the base station, and node density for equalizing energy utilization. Solar-assisted node incorporation improves sustainability in networks due to the possibility of energy replenishment in the course of operation. Simulation results prove that the Solar-Aware LEACH–EEKA proposed protocol offers notably reduce energy consumption, enhanced network lifespan, and throughput, and maintains a considerably larger number of active nodes when compared to LEACH and other EEKA baselines. Such an approach proposes an efficient way of creating a self-functioning, environmentally-friendly wireless sensor network suitable for IoT and remote monitoring systems.

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