Look at a Wi-Fi access point or an IP camera and you may see only one cable. Where is the power connection? In a compatible setup, that same Ethernet cable can carry both network data and electrical power.
An idea with roots in office phones
Power over Ethernet, or PoE, became useful for IP phones before spreading to other connected devices. Cisco introduced a proprietary implementation in 2000; the first IEEE PoE standard, 802.3af, followed in 2003.
The idea removes the need for a separate power adapter at each compatible device. It is particularly useful when a camera or wireless access point belongs somewhere that does not have a convenient nearby outlet.
One cable still needs a compatible system
The cable alone does not make a setup PoE. The power source and connected device must support a compatible approach, and different PoE versions provide different power capabilities. Equipment selection still matters.
That is why business networking and camera work often overlap: a device needs a working data path as well as an appropriate power source.
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Technical background: Cisco — What is Power over Ethernet?
