Energy Dynamics of Green IoT Nodes with Time-Varying Energy Harvesting, Leakage, and Consumption Patterns

The growing proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has intensified the need for sustainable energy solutions, particularly in resource-constrained deployments where non-rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors are the primary energy sources. Green IoT (G-IoT) frameworks address this challenge by combining energy-saving techniques with energy harvesting from ambient sources such as solar power. However, the intermittent nature of renewable energy and the non-ideal behavior of energy storage systems-such as energy leakage and capacity degradation-complicate reliable energy provisioning. This paper presents a novel Markovian framework for modelling the coupled dynamics of time-varying solar energy harvesting, time-dependent energy consumption, and state-dependent energy leakage in G-IoT systems. Unlike traditional steady-state models, our approach uses Discrete-Time Markov Chains (DTMCs) to capture the stochastic variability in both energy harvesting and consumption processes. We also introduce a refined leakage model in which the leakage rate is dynamically dependent on the stored energy level, enabling a more realistic characterization of energy losses due to energy leakage. Through extensive analytical evaluation, we examine how key parameters-such as storage capacity, leakage rate coefficient, and energy harvesting and consumption patterns-affect critical performance metrics, including the mean stored energy and energy-related service outage probability. Furthermore, we propose a parameter tuning strategy to optimize energy reliability and storage efficiency. The proposed model provides valuable insights for the design and optimization of robust, energy-aware IoT systems powered by renewable energy sources.