Apparatus and method for power extraction from high impedance sources

A system for extracting power from a power source having a high internal resistance, comprising:

• a small capacitor with a small capacitance value connected to the power source;
• wherein the capacitance value of the small capacitor is such that a voltage across the small capacitor is between 20% and 75% of the open circuit voltage of the source;
• a processor configured to:
• monitor an energy transfer rate from the power source into the small capacitor and the voltage across the small capacitor,
• when the energy transfer rate from the power source into the small capacitor reaches a maximum value and then decreases to an energy transfer rate threshold, dissipate energy from the small capacitor to the load, and
• when the voltage across the small capacitor falls to a voltage threshold, disconnect the small capacitor from the load;
• wherein when said small capacitor is disconnected from the load, no energy is transferred to the load.

A method of extracting power from a power source having a high internal resistance, comprising:

• monitoring an energy transfer rate from the power source into a small capacitor with a small capacitance value connected to the power source;
• wherein the capacitance of the small capacitor is such that the capacitor voltage is between 20% and 75% of the oven circuit voltage of the source;
• when the energy transfer rate from the power source into the small capacitor reaches a maximum value and then decreases to an energy transfer rate threshold, dissipating energy from the small capacitor to a load connected to the small capacitor;
• and
• monitoring a voltage across the small capacitor,
• when the voltage across the small capacitor falls to a voltage threshold, disconnecting the small capacitor from the load;
• wherein when said small capacitor is disconnected from the load, no energy is transferred to the load.