From powering electronic devices, to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, the use of batteries as an energy storage solution has been prevalent. However, batteries have limitations like slow charging, limited lifespan, and restricted power output. This is where supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), step in.Supercapacitor CharacteristicsTo understand how supercapacitors can enhance batteries, it helps to understand what they do and how they work. There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration, including the application requirements.&nbsp;<h4>Considerations Based on Application Requirements</h4>First, determine the required capacitance for the application. The capacitance of the supercapacitors needed to complement the batteries will depend on the specific application requirements, such as the required power output, charge/discharge times, and energy density. This can be calculated using the formula:C = (I x t) / ΔVWhere C is the capacitance in Farads, I is the current in amps, t is the time in seconds, and ΔV is the voltage drop during discharge.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1703774887395-Screenshot%2B2023-11-06%2B151847.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Then, choose the appropriate supercapacitor voltage rating. The voltage rating of the supercapacitor should be chosen to be at least as high as the maximum battery voltage. This must be done to avoid overvoltage conditions that can damage the supercapacitor.&nbsp;Finally, consider the equivalent series resistance (ESR). The ESR of the supercapacitor can affect the overall system efficiency and power delivery. Lower ESR values generally provide better performance, but at a higher cost.&nbsp;<h4>External Component Considerations</h4>It is necessary to include high power balancing circuits. Balancing circuits can be added to ensure that each supercapacitor is charged and discharged evenly, preventing overvoltage or undervoltage conditions that can damage the supercapacitor or decrease its performance. Since supercapacitors operate at high current levels compared to batteries, it is important the balancing system can operate (correct voltage imbalances) at high current levels too.&nbsp;It is important to note that the electrical sizing and connection of supercapacitors and batteries will vary depending on the specific application and system requirements. It is recommended to consult with an expert or refer to the manufacturer's guidelines to ensure the best performance and safety of the system.<h4>Why Can Supercapacitors Complement Batteries?</h4>Supercapacitors can supply or absorb high current peaks. This allows the supercapacitor to take some of the load off the battery, improving its performance and reducing its wear and tear.Supercapacitors can also store and release energy much faster than conventional batteries. They function by storing electrical charge on the surface of specialized electrodes, typically made of materials like activated carbon. This design enables supercapacitors to deliver rapid bursts of high-power output, making them well-suited for applications requiring quick energy delivery, like regenerative braking in electric vehicles.This is a key advantage of supercapacitors. While batteries can take hours to charge fully, supercapacitors can achieve this in just seconds to minutes. This swift charging ability enables supercapacitors to provide a rapid energy boost to batteries, reducing overall charging time. &nbsp;Moreover, supercapacitors can extend the lifespan of batteries. Since batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles before deterioration, supercapacitors can absorb some excess energy during high-power cycles. This reduces stress on the battery, prolonging its lifespan and reducing the need for frequent replacements.While not every application requires the use of supercapacitors they can be a valuable addition, particularly in scenarios where battery system performance needs optimization. This includes a variety of applications include e-mobility (bikes, cars, trucks, boats, and planes), renewable energy, telecom, and robotics.<h4>Renewable Application: Microgrids</h4><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1703774927601-microgrid%2Bgraphic%2B-%2BAdobeStock_540991784.jpeg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div data-block-type="2" id="isPasted">Renewable energy microgrids have rapidly gained interest as the demand for resilient energy systems have increased. These microgrids have typically included battery energy storage systems which are great for long duration storage, but they have a difficult time with dynamic situations. For example, the transient inrush currents from connecting a transformer, which could cause circuit breakers or protection circuits to trip. Another example is the instantaneous power draw of many electric vehicles plugging into the microgrid at once may be more power than a battery system alone can handle, potentially causing a brownout. What these microgrids need is a hybrid system, where long duration is handled by batteries, and short bursts of power are provided by power dense technologies, like supercapacitors.A supercapacitor’s ability to rapidly charge and discharge is beneficial in instances where renewables on the microgrid experience short fluctuations due to weather conditions (clouds passing over solar panels, for example). &nbsp;By having the supercapacitor provide the short bursts of power necessary to ride through these fluctuations, the batteries are protected from unnecessary cycling. This not only enhances the lifespan of the battery, but also contributes to long-term cost savings by minimizing the need for frequent battery replacements.&nbsp;</div><div data-block-type="2"><h4>Conclusion</h4></div><div data-block-type="2">Supercapacitors are a valuable complement to batteries, enhancing their performance by providing high-power output, rapid charging, and extended lifespan, making them particularly useful in applications like renewable energy systems. In applications with dynamic power fluctuations, a battery-supercapacitor hybrid energy storage system is recommended to optimize performance and efficiency.&nbsp;</div>

Batteries have limitations like slow charging, limited lifespan, and restricted power output. This is where supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), step in.

Unleashing the Potential of Supercapacitors in Hybrid Systems

The automotive landscape is undergoing a significant change, driven by a surge in software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and a growing emphasis on cybersecurity, reliability, and quality. This shift marks a departure from traditional vehicular designs, where mechanical prowess reigned supreme, to a new era where software capabilities are equally, if not more, crucial.&nbsp;This evolution signifies a profound change: vehicles are no longer just modes of transportation but are becoming sophisticated, interconnected mobile devices. In this dynamic environment, innovation is not just about horsepower and torque; it’s about bytes and software codes, opening up new realms of possibilities in automotive design, safety, and functionality.Amidst these advancements, a substantial concern has emerged within the industry. A recent study found that 84% of the professionals responsible for contributing to the security of automotive components, have concerns that cybersecurity practices are not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving technologies in the automotive sector.[1]&nbsp;This underscores a critical need for more advanced and adaptive cybersecurity measures to match the pace of innovation in vehicle technology.In this article, we will delve into the intricate convergence of software and hardware reshaping the automotive world. From the rise of SDVs, to the paramount importance of cybersecurity in an increasingly connected ecosystem, we explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in this sector. As we approach the end, we will take a look at Synopsys' contributions, underscoring how their expertise is steering the automotive industry towards a more secure and advanced future.<h1 dir="ltr">The Rise of Software-Defined Vehicles</h1>Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) represent a new paradigm in the automotive industry, where the core functionalities and features of a vehicle are increasingly controlled and enhanced by software. Unlike traditional cars, where mechanical systems were the primary focus, SDVs rely heavily on software for everything from engine management to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). This shift means that software now plays a critical role in defining a vehicle's capabilities, user experience, and performance.<h2 dir="ltr">Benefits of SDVs</h2>The transition to SDVs brings several key benefits:<ul><li dir="ltr">Enhanced Safety through ADAS:&nbsp;SDVs leverage sophisticated software to power ADAS features like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, and collision avoidance systems. These systems use a combination of sensors, cameras, and algorithms to interpret traffic conditions, providing real-time assistance and reducing the likelihood of accidents.</li><li dir="ltr">Customizable User Experience:&nbsp;The software-centric nature of SDVs allows for a high degree of customization. Owners can personalize driving modes, infotainment systems, and interior environments. Software updates can also introduce new features or improve existing ones, ensuring the vehicle stays current with the latest technologies.</li><li dir="ltr">Improved Vehicle Efficiency and Performance:&nbsp;Advanced software algorithms in SDVs optimize engine performance, battery management (in electric vehicles), and energy consumption. This leads to better fuel efficiency in conventional vehicles and extended range in electric models. Software can also enhance vehicle dynamics, such as steering and braking, for a more responsive driving experience.</li><li dir="ltr">Seamless Integration with IoT and Smart Cities:&nbsp;SDVs are designed to seamlessly integrate with the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart city infrastructures. This enables features like vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, where vehicles can receive information about traffic conditions, weather, and road closures, leading to more efficient route planning and reduced congestion.</li><li dir="ltr">Predictive Maintenance and Diagnostics:&nbsp;SDVs can constantly monitor vehicle health and predict maintenance needs before they become serious issues. By analyzing data from various sensors, the vehicle's software can alert the owner about wear and tear on parts, potentially preventing breakdowns and reducing long-term maintenance costs.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Challenges with SDVs</h2>Despite these benefits, the rise of SDVs also introduces several challenges:<ul><li dir="ltr">Cybersecurity Risks:&nbsp;As vehicles become more connected, they are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, making robust cybersecurity measures essential.</li><li dir="ltr">Complexity in Design and Integration:&nbsp;Integrating complex software systems with traditional mechanical components requires a new level of design sophistication and poses significant engineering challenges.</li><li dir="ltr">Need for Reliable Software:&nbsp;The dependence on software means that any bugs or malfunctions can have serious implications for vehicle safety and functionality. This necessitates a high standard for software development and testing in the automotive industry.</li></ul><h1 dir="ltr">Cybersecurity in the Automotive Sector</h1>In the era of connected and autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of automotive safety. As cars evolve into sophisticated networks on wheels, they are increasingly exposed to cyber threats that can compromise not only the privacy and data of users but also their physical safety. The integration of features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connectivity opens up multiple channels for potential attacks. Additionally, as vehicles become more autonomous, the reliance on software systems intensifies, making robust cybersecurity measures crucial to ensure the safe operation of these vehicles.<h2 dir="ltr">Gaps in Current Cybersecurity Practices</h2>A study by Synopsys and SAE International sheds light on the current state of cybersecurity practices in the automotive industry.[1]&nbsp;It highlights a growing awareness of cybersecurity importance but also reveals gaps in implementation. Some key findings include:<ul><li dir="ltr">Limited Integration in the Development Process:&nbsp;Cybersecurity is often considered late in the development process, rather than being integrated from the beginning. There is an increasing need for holistic cybersecurity strategies that encompass the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to decommissioning.</li><li dir="ltr">Third-Party Risks:&nbsp;Modern vehicles often rely on software and components from multiple suppliers, which can introduce security risks if not properly vetted and integrated.</li><li dir="ltr">Inadequate Training and Awareness:&nbsp;There is often a lack of adequate training and awareness regarding cybersecurity among automotive staff. This gap in knowledge and skills can lead to vulnerabilities in vehicle software and systems.</li><li dir="ltr">Insufficient Testing and Validation:&nbsp;Many organizations in the automotive sector do not have robust processes for testing and validating cybersecurity measures. This can result in overlooked vulnerabilities and weak spots in vehicle cybersecurity.</li><li dir="ltr">Reliance on Legacy Systems:&nbsp;Some automotive manufacturers still rely on legacy systems that were not designed with modern cybersecurity threats in mind. This reliance can create significant security risks, especially as vehicles become more connected and integrated with external networks.</li><li dir="ltr">Fragmented Regulatory Landscape:&nbsp;The regulatory landscape for automotive cybersecurity is often fragmented and inconsistent across different regions and countries. This lack of uniform standards can make it challenging for manufacturers to implement comprehensive and globally applicable cybersecurity strategies.</li><li dir="ltr">Connected Vehicle Security:&nbsp;As vehicles become more connected, ensuring secure communication both within the vehicle and with external networks becomes critical to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.</li></ul><h1 dir="ltr">Advancements in Automotive Silicon and Electronics</h1>The evolution of automotive electronics marks a significant shift from basic electrical components to complex electronic systems. In the early days, vehicles primarily used simple circuits for lighting and ignition. Today, they are equipped with advanced electronic control units (ECUs) that manage everything from engine performance and transmission to infotainment and climate control. This evolution reflects the growing role of electronics in enhancing vehicle functionality, efficiency, and safety. Modern vehicles are now akin to moving computers, with sophisticated networks that integrate multiple sensors, actuators, and control systems.<h2 dir="ltr">Role of Silicon in Modern Vehicles</h2>Silicon components, particularly system-on-chips (SoCs), have become the backbone of modern vehicle electronics. SoCs integrate multiple functionalities onto a single chip, leading to more efficient, compact, and powerful electronic systems. These components are essential for processing the vast amounts of data generated by ADAS, managing electric vehicle (EV) power electronics, and powering infotainment systems. The importance of silicon in vehicles extends beyond performance to include aspects like energy efficiency, which is critical for EVs, and the ability to support ongoing software updates and enhancements.<h2 dir="ltr">Challenges with E/E Architectures</h2>The shift to more complex electronic/electrical (E/E) architectures in vehicles brings several challenges:<ul><li dir="ltr">Integration Complexity:&nbsp;As the number of electronic components and systems in a vehicle increases, so does the complexity of integrating them. Ensuring seamless communication and functionality across different systems is a significant engineering challenge.</li><li dir="ltr">Reliability and Safety:&nbsp;With increased reliance on electronic systems, ensuring their reliability and safety becomes paramount. Any failure in these systems can have dire consequences for vehicle operation and passenger safety.</li><li dir="ltr">Efficiency and Size Constraints:&nbsp;Designing E/E architectures that are not only robust and reliable but also efficient and compact is another challenge. This is especially important in EVs, where space and power efficiency are crucial considerations.</li></ul><h1 dir="ltr">Synopsys: Steering Automotive Innovation</h1><a href="https://www.synopsys.com/" target="_blank">Synopsys</a> has emerged as a key player in driving automotive innovation, particularly in the realm of software and silicon solutions. With a focus on developing tools and technologies that cater to the specific needs of the automotive industry, Synopsys is at the forefront of enabling the next generation of software-defined vehicles. Their expertise in electronic design automation, semiconductor IP, and software security and quality is instrumental in addressing the complex challenges of modern automotive systems.<h2 dir="ltr">Synopsys' Solutions for Automotive Innovation</h2><ul><li dir="ltr">Optimizing SoC &amp; E/E Architectures:&nbsp;Synopsys provides comprehensive solutions and services for designing and verifying SoCs and E/E architectures. Their tools help in creating differentiated systems that are not only safe and secure but also efficient and scalable, meeting the stringent demands of the automotive industry.</li><li dir="ltr">Software Validation for SDVs:&nbsp;Recognizing the critical role of software in SDVs, Synopsys offers advanced solutions for software development and validation. Their technologies streamline the development process, reducing time-to-market while ensuring high standards of quality and reliability.</li><li dir="ltr">Enhancing Vehicle Safety &amp; Security:&nbsp;Synopsys' commitment to safety and security is evident in their suite of tools and services. They provide solutions that help automotive companies meet rigorous safety standards and security requirements, ensuring that both software and silicon components are robust against potential threats.</li></ul>Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.synopsys.com/automotive" target="_blank">Synopsys Automotive Solutions</a> page to learn more.

Advanced software, sophisticated silicon designs, and strong cybersecurity are key technologies transforming today's vehicles, leading the shift towards more intelligent, secure, and efficient automotive systems.

Enabling the Next Wave of Automotive Innovation: From Secure Software to Silicon

In this episode, we discuss a GPT style AI model being developed by a multidisciplinary team led by the University of Michigan to tackle the battery development bottleneck preventing wide scale adoption of electric vehicles.

Podcast: Battery Chemistry GPT

<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">FREE REPORT: Reducing Human Driver Error and Setting Realistic Expectations with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems</h2>Thousands die or are injured each year in automobile crashes. Bringing automated driving systems technologies into the advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) and connected vehicle space will help humans drive more safely and better prepare us for automated vehicles (AVs).Learn more about ADAS and ADS implementation with the goal of reaching zero deaths and serious injuries by downloading this FREE report from SAE International (valued at $50).&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAwNzUzODIyNjYzLVJlZHVjaW5nIEh1bWFuIERyaXZlciBFcnJvciBhbmQgU2V0dGluZyBSZWFsaXN0aWMgRXhwZWN0YXRpb25zIHdpdGggQWR2YW5jZWQgRHJpdmVyIEFzc2lzdGFuY2UgU3lzdGVtcy5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2><iframe width="540" height="740" src="https://c8056756.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAIm7QnvQQ9ZyzkX--H5jNS-TSb9GWr5SQBXi_SUjRPpt67CBveq_yevZYMSeiJ-O1dwYw05f2kl-Q7sfNDRem1Y-03GXYZV4qkTbJeR_K_VpJzgMk_8Ry8fjyfgJ7fAMrCmcRHc1KXsSTuhIU5p5pBa3F1-TGDgOdQgcF-pU8cSTrl8JF2j2b9gl6-5e66Ro-rltcIrGxsRG" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" allowfullscreen="" style="display: block;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;max-width: 100%;" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> </h2><h2>Battery Recycling Inevitable</h2>The efficient and economical recycling of EV batteries is not just possible, but inevitable, said a panel of battery-recycling experts at the 2023 Battery Show North America in Novi, Mich.&nbsp;Panelists indicated that although the business model is evolving – and is likely to remain comparatively fluid for the near term – the sector’s broad directionals are firming and at least a few aspects of the business have become certain – one being that EV batteries ending up in landfills “absolutely will not happen,” asserted Renata Arsenault, Technical Expert for Advanced Battery Recycling at Ford.Equally important, established recycling companies and startups understand that the EV battery recycling environment will be diverse and require a variety of players at various points and places in the recycling process, said Mike O’Kronley, CEO of Ascend Elements, a startup with a proprietary process focused on recycling material specifically for lithium-ion battery cathodes. He said there will be numerous companies with various specialties needed at different points – geographically and within the recycling process. Localization of both materials supply and operations will be vital as recycling matures, added Ford’s Arsenault.Initiating EV battery recycling will take time to reach the scale and efficiency of recycling entire vehicles, for example, because batteries are more complicated, said Ryan Melsert, CEO at American Battery Technology Company (ABTC), which has a system to recover the individual minerals in lithium-ion batteries. Melsert said the comparative newness of automotive lithium-ion batteries also means recycling processes have yet to reach the efficiencies and scale of established recycling, such as that for lead-acid batteries.Moreover, Melsert said, EV battery recycling must be much more “holistic” in its approach because it will be a requirement to recover more than the “token elements” sought by some systems. “As batteries get higher-performance and more complex, so will the recycling process,” he said.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAwNjQzNTIzNTI1LTIwMjMtYmF0dGVyeS1zaG93LXJlY3ljbGluZy1hcmdvbm5lLWxpZmVjeWNsZS1jaGFydF9nYWxsZXJ5LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Progression of an end-of-life EV battery through various current recycling processes.<h2>Open- and closed-loop approaches</h2>How automakers and recyclers eventually collaborate remains a question as recycling progresses through early stages of startup, but most panelists agreed that that eventual result is likely to be a “closed loop” process in which automakers form close partnerships with recyclers in what becomes a model in which the automaker “controls materials almost indefinitely, said ABTC’s Melsert. He added that closed-loop arrangements also will help to provide “security of supply” to automakers and their closely-aligned battery-manufacturing partners.A closed-loop system also will be essential, panelists believed, because of eligibility requirements connected to incentives from the federal government’s Inflation Reduction Act. Retaining control of domestically produced materials, from mining through recycling and reuse, will ease the burden of complying with IRA dictates and also allow manufacturers to retain a steady flow of materials not necessarily subject to the economics of the commodities market.“If you’re an OEM, you don’t want to sell that [recycled] material to the highest bidder,” confirmed Ascend’s O’Kronley, saying the material is too important to release to an open market. He said that although the industry will see elements of both open- and closed-loop systems for some time, EV battery recycling is almost certain to evolve to a mostly closed-loop environment.Ford’s Arsenault agreed, saying, “In the early years, we’re going to be somewhat more transactional.” But “the Holy Grail for all of us is to have the fully-closed loop. It seems it would be much more efficient for our customers, too.”<h2>Not much life for second-life</h2>Meanwhile, the panelists had a dim view of the potential for so-called “second-life” use of entire EV batteries once those batteries become too depleted for effective use in a vehicles. Second-life applications – often cited as a viable competitor for recycling – just won’t be the best use of the valuable battery materials, most panelists asserted.Second-life usage “has a lot of barriers,” said Gerardo Ramos-Vivas, Battery Lifecycle senior manager, Toyota Motor North America. “Right now, we’re thinking that’s way out there [in the future].”Ascend’s O’Kronley agreed, adding, “I think the second-life market is going to be a lot smaller than we think about. I truly believe that batteries will be for the life of the vehicle,” and that once a battery has reached the end of its useful life, it will be more efficient and economical to recycle its elements rather than keep the entire battery for a secondary purpose.Second-life usage is “going to be a smaller market than a lot of people are thinking,” said ABTC’s Melsert. He said there’s been an overestimation, as one example, of the stationary-source market’s potential use of second-life automotive batteries. He said it is becoming clearer that stationary sources likely will converge on the desire to use premium-performance batteries rather than make use of repurposed batteries.

Battery recycling experts at the 2023 Battery Show North America indicate a sustainable recycling business model is coming into focus.

EV Battery recycling still being defined

When it comes to powering dynamic, high-power applications, batteries are inefficient and expensive. Luckily, there is a solution - supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are well-known for their ability to help batteries do more by storing large amounts of power by leveraging their extremely low internal resistance. This makes them ideal for demanding applications that require fast charging and discharging. In this blog post, we will discuss the shortcomings of batteries, supercapacitor technologies, advantages of pairing them with batteries to create the best of both worlds and explore popular supercapacitor solutions.<h2>Batteries Have Shortcomings </h2>Batteries, while commonly used in applications that require long-duration energy storage capacity, have several shortcomings that make them inefficient and expensive in dynamic, high-power applications. One major drawback is their limited power density. Batteries have a lower power density compared to supercapacitors, which means they cannot provide high bursts of power quickly. This can be a problem in scenarios where peak power capacity is crucial. Additionally, not all batteries are the same. Choosing battery chemistries and constructions that are more capable of high power comes at a cost, either in terms of energy storage capacity, cycle life, or price per kWh ($/kWh). Some chemistries, like lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO), are very capable of such high bursts of power but they store significantly less energy than mainstream chemistries like lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and cost 5x more per kWh. &nbsp;Additionally, batteries have a limited lifetime due to their chemical reactions. The constant charging and discharging cycles cause degradation over time, resulting in reduced capacity and performance. Another limitation of batteries is their slower charging and discharging rates. They take longer to charge, and discharge compared to supercapacitors, which can be a significant disadvantage in time-sensitive applications. Moreover, batteries rely on finite resources such as lithium, which may pose sustainability issues in the long run.&nbsp;Batteries have shortcomings when it comes to power density, lifetime, charging and discharging rates, and resource sustainability. Alternatively, supercapacitors have high power densities, long lifespans, fast energy transfers, and a more reliable supply chain. You probably already knew that, and it is likely why you are reading this article and searching for a "supercapacitor battery." You want to know if it’s possible to get the best of both worlds, and good news, it is.<h2>What are Supercapacitors?</h2>Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors, are an energy storage technology that heavily relies on an electrostatic mechanism to store energy. This is why they are safe, reliable, and so capable of handling short bursts of power. Supercapacitors are essentially the opposite of a battery, which relies heavily on a chemical mechanism to store energy.&nbsp;Supercapacitors have a power density that is &gt;10x greater than batteries, allowing them to deliver more power per unit weight. This makes them ideal for applications that are dynamic, intermittent, and require high power capacities. Since supercapacitors do not rely on chemical reactions, they can charge and discharge much faster.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAwMjE1OTQ2MDQ2LTE3MDAyMTU5NDYwNDYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cells like these are connected together to form modules that are connected together to meet requirements of a given applicationAnother advantage of supercapacitors is their longer lifespan. Batteries degrade over time due to the constant charging and discharging cycles, resulting in reduced capacity and performance. Supercapacitors, on the other hand, can withstand thousands, if not millions, of charge and discharge cycles without significant degradation.&nbsp;Supercapacitors are not perfect though. They are poor options for long-duration energy storage projects. A battery or fuel cell is a much better option if that is what you need. Batteries have an energy density that is &gt;10x greater than a supercapacitor, which shows up in the cost per kWh and is a major impediment to using supercapacitors in applications that require longer-duration storage. &nbsp;<h2>Supercapacitor for Dynamic, High-Power Scenarios</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1700216414438-waldemar-rHfTdK9YU2Q-unsplash.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Photo by Waldemar on UnsplashSupercapacitors have found numerous applications in dynamic, high-power scenarios, offering superior performance compared to traditional batteries. One prominent application is in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), where the high-power density of supercapacitors allows for rapid energy transfer during acceleration and regenerative braking. This enables faster charging and discharging cycles, optimizing the overall efficiency of the vehicle.Renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines and solar farms, can also benefit from the use of supercapacitors. Supercapacitors can help balance the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources and enable ancillary services like frequency response for the grid. This allows for a more stable and reliable power supply using renewable energy sources, which will become increasingly important as more renewable sources are connected to the grid.<h2>Supercapacitor Design Considerations&nbsp;</h2>When considering the design of a product that utilizes supercapacitors, there are several important considerations to keep in mind. One key aspect is the power requirements of the application. Supercapacitors are known for their high-power density, which means they can deliver quick bursts of power when needed. The key question is how much power is needed for how long before the supercapacitors can be recharged?&nbsp;Another factor to consider is the voltage rating of the supercapacitor. It is essential to choose a supercapacitor with a voltage rating that matches or exceeds the maximum DC voltage of the application where the supercapacitor will be connected. Unlike a battery, supercapacitors have a very wide operating voltage range and can discharge down to nearly 0V. It is important to consider the cutoff voltage of the application because the storage capacity of the supercapacitor is related to the voltage range of the application.<h2>The Road to a Supercapacitor Battery</h2>Here is the thing though, a supercapacitor-only energy storage system will have shortcomings just as a battery-only system would. They would be a different set of shortcomings and challenges, but there is no one-size-fits-all energy storage technology. A battery-only system will be oversized to meet peak power requirements while a supercapacitor-only system will be oversized to meet energy storage requirements.&nbsp;Instead, these technologies need to be working together as a team. Both batteries and supercapacitors have abilities and characteristics that the other does not have. To reach net zero goals in renewables and e-mobility, the war between batteries and supercapacitors must end. These technologies use different chemistries and are physically different.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1700216283739-staff-engineer-job-description-4088x2725-20201127.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">That is not to say there will never be a Supercapacitor Battery. Just that there are a few words missing after it: Hybrid Energy Storage System. Pairing supercapacitors with batteries is a known solution to address shortcomings. As we have been saying, where one is strong the other is weak and vice versa. Working together as a team is the best solution we have short of waiting for the next Nobel Prize-winning breakthrough in chemistry.&nbsp;Batteries need supercapacitors. Supercapacitors need batteries. &nbsp;In many applications, we recommend pairing the most energy-dense batteries with power-dense supercapacitors. The batteries are sized for energy storage and steady-state power requirements while the supercapacitors are sized for peak power requirements. The result is the best of both worlds, a hybrid future. &nbsp;<h2>How to Choose the Right Supercapacitor for Your Battery</h2>There are different kinds of supercapacitors just like there are different kinds of batteries, one of their few similarities. When it comes to choosing the right supercapacitor for the project, there are a few factors to consider: the battery and available space.&nbsp;Complementing a battery with a supercapacitor may create more design flexibility with battery selection since the stress of peak power scenarios is taken off the battery by the supercapacitor. This may make it possible to use a less expensive battery or use a battery with a higher energy density that takes up less space. It is important to review the power profile and use case data ahead of selecting the battery and supercapacitor.&nbsp;The second major question is how much space is available. If the application is a solar farm in the middle of the desert where land is cheap and extra space is available - use a traditional supercapacitor energy storage system to pair with batteries. We recommend checking out products from Skeleton, AVX, and Maxwell. These companies are very good at what they do (making supercapacitor cells, modules, and systems).&nbsp;But what if space is not abundant? This is often the case for electric vehicle OEMs, solar car ports, EV charging systems, commercial and industrial energy storage systems, and even microgrids installed at the local park. We recommend our supercapacitor products for that. First, our supercapacitors come in a flexible, cable-like form factor and are an end-to-end solution specifically designed to complement batteries as a hybrid energy storage system. Just about every power application requires wires and cabling to move energy from one place to the other. When space is limited, it is time to add a new feature to that infrastructure and turn it into an energy storage asset. Our products connect renewables (sources) and long-duration storage (batteries or fuel cells) together and to their load (like the grid, an EV, or the motor inside an EV). &nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1700216322113-1700216322113.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2>Supercapacitor Battery Hybrid Energy Storage System Case Study&nbsp;</h2>Capacitech helped Red Bull power an event in the middle of the desert. Our job was to complement the battery and help it power an extremely dynamic and unpredictable load. Solar power was used to charge a 5kWh battery, which was then connected to the load through our supercapacitor-cable routed through the bushes to stay discreet and camera friendly. Thanks to the supercapacitors, our power electronics, and control algorithms, we were able to power the load successfully (something the battery could not do on its own).<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tNTM8jn3o64?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe><hr><h2 id="isPasted">Frequently Asked Questions About Supercapacitors</h2>1. How do supercapacitors compare to batteries?Supercapacitors have several advantages over batteries. They have a higher power density, meaning they can deliver quick bursts of power when needed. They also have a longer lifespan, with the ability to endure thousands, if not millions, of charge and discharge cycles. Additionally, supercapacitors have faster charge and discharge rates compared to batteries, making them suitable for time-sensitive applications. Batteries also have several advantages over supercapacitors, such as their high energy density and ability to meet long duration requirements.&nbsp;2. Can supercapacitors replace batteries completely?Supercapacitors might replace batteries in a select few applications (such as in IoT devices that do not require energy to be stored for hours) but are not meant to replace batteries completely. Instead, batteries and supercapacitors should be working together as a team to get the best results.&nbsp;3. Are supercapacitors more expensive than batteries?Tough question. Batteries are cheaper per unit of energy ($/kWh) but supercapacitors are cheaper per unit of power ($/kW). However, supercapacitors have a long lifespan that can lead to cost savings in the long run.&nbsp;4. Why are supercapacitors not used more often? There have been two historical challenges facing supercapacitors. The first is that there are fewer off-the-shelf solutions available to integrate supercapacitors with batteries and renewables (Capacitech fixed that). The second is that space is limited and needs to be optimized for the priorities of the project, creating a competition between them and other energy storage technologies (Capacitech fixed that too with our cable form factor which makes it easy to hide supercapacitors inside wiring infrastructure).

When it comes to powering dynamic, high-power applications, batteries are inefficient and expensive. Luckily, there is a solution - supercapacitors.

Looking for a Supercapacitor Battery?

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/2dca102f-80d1-4182-8d29-b2f6cf6ed323?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>Now that ChatGPT has revealed connections in meaning that can emerge from the simple premise of predicting the next word, a team of researchers led by the University of Michigan aims to do the same for atoms strung together to build molecules.The research is supported with a one-year grant from the Department of Energy providing 200,000 node hours on <a href="https://www.alcf.anl.gov/polaris" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polaris, a 34-petaflop supercomputer</a> at Argonne National Laboratory. The team will build a foundational model for molecules, similar to the GPT models that support applications like ChatGPT. The new model will focus on small organic molecules with relevance to energy storage and conversion applications—mainly composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.“What we’ve learned from language models is that size matters. The interesting behavior happens when you make it very big,” said <a href="https://aero.engin.umich.edu/people/viswanathan-venkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Venkat Viswanathan</a>, U-M associate professor of aerospace engineering and principal investigator of the award. “If you train on a small amount of data and ask it to write Shakespeare, it’s not good. But a larger data set is better, and when it’s big enough, text that sounds like Shakespeare emerges.”The team is planning to use their model to predict better battery electrolytes—the medium through which ions shuttle from one electrode to the other during charge and discharge cycles. Many electrode pairs offer the potential for higher energy densities than our current lithium-based batteries, but the electrolyte needs to work with both electrodes. That’s often a tall order, and the team is betting AI can help.As with GPT’s steady diet of text with no annotation, the chemical model will be fed text-based representations of atomic structures with no additional information like chemical properties.“There are several billions of molecules that are possible to make, and we have the text-based representation for them,” Viswanathan said. “Our slice of that will be synthesizable small molecules similar to those used in pharmaceuticals and electrolytes.”When the model is able to predict missing atoms in small organic compounds, the team will move on to fine-tuning—feeding it the properties of some compounds and asking it to predict the properties of others. Through iterative feedback, they intend to build an AI that can master small organic molecule chemistry.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAwMTA1MjE3NTA5LW1vZGVsLWRpYWdyYW0uanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The diagram shows 2D representations of molecular structures on the left, simplified to text representations in the arrows and then mapped by the foundational model in a way that enables it to predict molecular properties and design molecules with the right properties. Credit: Viswanathan Group, University of Michigan“Deep Forest Sciences has built considerable expertise in applying molecular foundation models to drug discovery, and we are excited to apply that knowledge to batteries,” said Bharath Ramsundar, founder and CEO of Deep Forest Sciences, and a key collaborator in building the model.&nbsp;Once the model is up and running, the team will ask it to predict electrolytes suited to a particular pair of electrodes. It will then experimentally test each prescription in the lab with a robotic setup, Clio, that was developed by Viswanathan and collaborator <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/epp/people/faculty/jay-f-whitacre.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jay Whitacre</a>, professor of materials science, engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.They are also looking for new design rules that may emerge from the model—rules that humans haven’t been able to consider.“When we learn chemistry, we learn each rule, and then we learn about a dozen exceptions,” Viswanathan said. “Can this now help us learn better rules or be able to design with more sophisticated combined rules?”As an example, he said that it was easy for humans to add one atom to a structure and see whether it works or not. Adding pairs of atoms to the structure at different locations results in too many possibilities for humans to easily parse. But AI might be able to do it.The DOE’s <a href="https://science.osti.gov/ascr/Facilities/Accessing-ASCR-Facilities/INCITE/About-incite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INCITE program</a>, which provides the funding for this study, was conceived to seek out computationally intensive, large-scale research projects with the potential to significantly advance key areas in science and engineering.

Taking inspiration from the word-predicting large language models, a U-M team is kickstarting an atom-predicting model with 200,000 node hours on Argonne’s Polaris.

Building a chemical 'GPT' to help design a key battery component

With a slew of impressive properties, transition metal carbides, generally referred to as MXenes, are exciting nanomaterials being explored in the energy storage sector. MXenes are two-dimensional materials that consist of flakes as thin as a few nanometers. Their outstanding mechanical strength, ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratio, and superior electrochemical stability make them promising candidates as supercapacitors—that is, as long as they can be arranged in 3D architectures where there is a sufficient volume of nanomaterials and their large surfaces are available for reactions.During processing, MXenes tend to restack, compromising accessibility and impeding the performance of individual flakes, thereby diminishing some of their significant advantages. To circumvent this obstacle. <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/directory/bios/panat-rahul.html" target="_blank">Rahul Panat</a> and <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/directory/bios/ozdoganlar-burak.html" target="_blank">Burak Ozdoganlar</a>, along with Ph.D. candidate Mert Arslanoglu, from the Mechanical Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon University have developed an entirely new material system that arranges 2D MXene nanosheets into a 3D structure. This is accomplished by infiltrating MXene into a porous ceramic scaffold, or backbone. The ceramic backbone is fabricated using the freeze-casting technique, which produces open-pore structures with controlled pore dimensions and pore directionality.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk5NDk4OTY1NTUzLTExMDItZW0tMi1teGVuZS1iYWNrYm9uZS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A MXene infiltrated porous silica sample with a zoomed in 3D figure showing the thin-layer coating of internal pore surfaces by MXene flakes while preserving the structural porosity. A high-magnification back-scattered SEM image of an infiltrated sample shows the thin-layer MXene coating“We are able to infiltrate MXene flakes dispersed in a solvent into a freeze-cast porous ceramic structure,” explained Panat, a professor of <a href="https://www.meche.engineering.cmu.edu/index.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank" id="isPasted">mechanical engineering</a>. “As the system dries, the 2D MXene flakes uniformly coat the internal surfaces of the interconnected pores of the ceramic without losing any essential attributes.”<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk5NDk4OTk0NjQ0LTExMDItZW0tbXhlbmUtYmFja2JvbmUucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">“Sandwich-type” two-electrode MXene supercapacitor powers LED light.As described in <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2022/08/02-3d-ice.html" target="_blank">their earlier publication</a>, the solvent used in their freeze-casting approach is a chemical called camphene, which produces tree-like dendritic structures when frozen. Other types of pore distributions can also be obtained by using different solvents.To test the samples, the team constructed “sandwich-type” two-electrode supercapacitors and connected them to an LED light with an operating voltage of 2.5V. The supercapacitors successfully powered the light with higher power density and energy density values than previously obtained for any MXene-based supercapacitors.“Not only have we demonstrated an exceptional way to utilize MXene, we’ve done so in a way that is reproducible and scalable,” said Ozdoganlar, also a professor of mechanical engineering. “Our new material system can be mass-manufactured at desired dimensions to be used in commercial devices. We believe this can have a tremendous impact on energy storage devices, and thus, on applications such as electric vehicles.”<blockquote>Our new material system can be mass-manufactured o be used in commercial devices. We believe it can have a tremendous impact on energy storage devices.<cite>Burak Ozdoganlar, <cite id="isPasted">Professor<cite>, Mechanical Engineering</cite></cite> </cite></blockquote>With outstanding experimental results and electrical conductivity that can be finely tuned by controlling the MXene concentration and the porosity of the backbone, this material system, recently described in an article published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202304757" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Advanced Materials</a>, has far-reaching potential for batteries, fuel cells, decarbonization systems, and catalytic devices. We may even see an MXene supercapacitor power our electric vehicles one day.“Our approach can be applied to other nano-scale materials, like graphene, and the backbone can be built from materials beyond ceramics, including polymers and metals,” Panat said. “This structure could enable a wide range of emerging and novel technology applications.”

For the first time, researchers have arranged 2D MXene nanosheets into a 3D structure without compromising performance—a technology with the potential to have a tremendous impact on energy storage devices for applications like electric vehicles.

From 2D to 3D: MXene's path to revolutionizing energy storage and more

This article originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/10/heavy-trucks-likely-not-zero-emission-in-the-near-future.html" target="_blank" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer">ETH Zurich</a> and has been republished with permission.<hr>What will power lorries in the future? Climate-damaging diesel, or emission-free technologies such as batteries or hydrogen? Whether the international community achieves the Paris climate target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 also depends on whether it succeeds in decarbonising heavy goods traffic. This is because these account for almost one-third of annual global emissions in the transport sector, which is responsible for around one-fifth of CO2 emissions worldwide.Researchers at ETH Zurich have now developed a model to investigate which technologies will prevail in truck traffic by 2035. The results are sobering: a large proportion of heavy lorries will continue to be powered by diesel or liquefied natural gas (LNG). “Without political measures to decarbonise heavy goods traffic, green technologies have no chance,” explains Tobias Schmidt, Professor of Energy and Technology Policy at ETH Zurich and coauthor of the study, which has just been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).<h2>Focus on overall costs</h2>In their model, the researchers consider three weight classes with different driving profiles: on average, vans weighing roughly 3.5 tonnes and covering 75 kilometres a day without loading or refuelling; medium goods vehicles weighing roughly 7.5 tonnes and covering 200 kilometres a day; and heavy goods vehicles weighing roughly 32 tonnes and covering 600 kilometres a day.The adoption of zero-emission trucks powered by batteries or green hydrogen hinges on their cost relative to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. The researchers assume that investors focus on total costs incurred over the lifetime of a truck.These costs consist of procurement and operating costs such as the cost of fuel, wages, maintenance, insurance and tolls. The researchers further assume that companies will partly invest in the recharging and refuelling infrastructure of battery and hydrogen trucks themselves. These costs are charged to an electric truck for the use of the infrastructure over its lifetime.<h2>Operating costs are decisive</h2>“When all lifetime costs are taken into account, battery-powered vans and medium goods vehicles are already cheaper than diesel lorries in many European countries,” says Bessie Noll, a postdoctoral researcher in Schmidt’s research group and the study’s lead author. This is due to their lower operating costs over the entire service life. Hydrogen lorries are by far the most expensive in these two weight classes, the reason being high prices for fuel cells and green hydrogen.It’s a different story for heavy lorries: diesel and LNG remain the cheapest fuels, with green hydrogen the most expensive option. Only in Switzerland are heavy goods vehicles powered by batteries or green hydrogen already cheaper today. The reason for this is the high toll costs that diesel lorries incur due to the country’s distance-related heavy vehicle fee (HVF). Emission-free vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are exempt from this toll.“Whether CO2-free lorries are competitive currently depends on whether their higher purchase price is offset by lower operating costs over their entire service lifetime,” Noll says. The researchers show that fuel prices and toll expenses play a significant role in this regard.<h2>No progress on heavy goods traffic</h2>Moreover, the model calculations show that the electrification of goods traffic by 2035 is progressing only for light and medium goods vehicles. New battery-powered vehicles will achieve a global market share of over 50 percent in these two vehicle classes by 2035. In Europe and China, they will even account for 70 percent of the total. “We estimate that by 2035, around one-third of new lorries purchased worldwide in the small and medium weight segments will be diesel vehicles,” Noll says.Things look worse for heavy trucks over 32 tonnes, where the global market share of new lorries that are CO2-free will remain below 10 percent in 2035. For the researchers, one thing is clear: without effective policies that support green powertrain technologies, the majority of heavy lorries will continue to be powered by diesel engines in 2035.A comparison of different measures also shows that lower toll costs for zero-emission lorries, as practiced in Switzerland, would be the most effective policy instrument to help green technologies achieve a breakthrough in heavy goods traffic.<h2>Hydrogen is not competitive</h2>According to the ETH Zurich study, small vans and medium-sized lorries are being electrified almost exclusively with batteries. Hydrogen-powered lorries are simply too expensive in most countries or regions. But there is one exception: in the EU, hydrogen lorries over 32 tonnes could gain some degree of market share. This is mainly related to the assumption that the EU will subsidise green hydrogen in the future, making it cheaper than in other parts of the world.One reason that batteries are more competitive than green hydrogen for lorries is that a hydrogen-powered truck requires about three times as much renewable electricity as a battery-powered one. “The operating costs are significantly higher with green hydrogen because a lot of energy is lost in the production, distribution and conversion of green hydrogen into electricity,” Schmidt says.What’s more, it can be assumed that the costs for battery-powered lorries will fall faster than those for hydrogen ones. The reason for this is that the global market share of battery-powered vehicles (cars and lorries) is already significantly higher, leading to greater economies of scale. Added to this is the fact that fuel cells that run on hydrogen are a more complex technology: they require extensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and are generally higher maintenance. “Batteries already have a head start over hydrogen,” Professor Schmidt adds, “and they’re constantly extending their lead thanks to a steeper learning curve.”<hr><h2 id="isPasted">How to estimate future costs</h2>To find out which technology will prevail by 2035, the researchers simulated the potential purchasing decisions of heavy goods transport investors worldwide. The challenge is to predict how the total costs of different technologies will change over time. Based on historical data, the study authors make use of the correlation that the more widely a technology is deployed, the faster its costs decline. For example, based on a technology’s increased market share this year, they can estimate its cost next year and its market share the following year.However, the speed at which economies of scale materialize also depends on the complexity of the technology. “The more complex a technology is, the slower its costs fall,” Schmidt explains. The researchers also assume that switching from an established technology to a new technology results in conversion costs that make the new technology less attractive. They model these conversion costs with a calibrated markup on the purchase price.<hr><h2 id="isPasted">Reference</h2>Noll B, Steffen B, Schmidt T, The effects of local interventions on global technological change through spillovers: a modeling framework and application to the roadfreight sector, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2215684120" target="_blank">external page10.1073/pnas.2215684120</a>Noll B, del Val S, Steffen B, Schmidt T, Analyzing the competitiveness of low-carbon drive-technologies in road-freight: A total cost of ownership analysis in Europe, Applied Energy, Volume 306, Part B, 15 January 2022, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118079" target="_blank">external page10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118079</a>

Without political measures for zero-​emission technologies, a significant proportion of heavy goods vehicles will still run on diesel in 2035. This result is shown in a new ETH Zurich study on the decarbonisation of truck traffic.

Heavy trucks likely not zero-emission in the near future

In this episode, we delve into the exciting world of energy modeling and its critical role in shaping a decarbonized future

Podcast: Decarbonizing with Energy Modeling

&nbsp;Unveiling Battery Performance SecretsExplore the intricacies of LPWAN IoT device battery performance. Factors impacting battery life are dissected, aiding tailored battery selection for specific applications. Optimization strategies maximize battery efficiency, enabling peak device performance and extended lifecycles.Managing Power ConsumptionIoT devices demand efficient power management. Factors like data rate, duty cycle, and connectivity impact battery life. Learn how to optimize sleep modes and wake-up intervals, as well as transmission power, to conserve energy effectively.Choosing the Right BatteryBattery selection is critical. Discover how matching battery behavior with device needs ensures reliable power. Follow the guide in selecting batteries aligned with your application requirements.Real-World Case Study&nbsp;<iframe id="645bfbf8b4d91c00080cf9fa" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="440" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/otii-ace-pro?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="false" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>The white paper “Powering IoT devices: How to choose the right battery and make it last includes” a practical case study illustrating battery selection techniques for a waste management IoT deployment. Learn how to profile your IoT device from prototype, estimate battery life, and analyze different battery profiles.Proactive Battery ProfilingProfiling your IoT device, even during early prototyping, is crucial. The white paper provides guidance on power profiling, emulation, and iterative refinement throughout your product development.Comprehensive Battery InsightsBattery data sheets are just the beginning. We delve deeper, profiling batteries across brands, chemistries, and form factors to understand subtle performance differences that influence decision-making.Download the White paperDiscover the secrets to sustainable IoT device power management. Download the <a href="https://bit.ly/46koBoX" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">white paper</a> to empower your LPWAN IoT deployments with optimized battery solutions.

Long battery life is one of key enablers of IoT 

In the rapidly evolving landscape of IoT, battery life is paramount for device sustainability. We dissect the challenges and strategies for battery longevity of LPWAN IoT devices. Explore battery profiling and optimization for extended device life and reduced costs.

Powering IoT Devices for Sustainable Performance

In this episode, we discuss the game-changing journey of two MIT alumni who are revolutionizing industry energy use practices by introducing a remarkable thermal battery solution to make sustainable energy feasible at a commercial scale.

Podcast: How Thermal Batteries Will Scale Sustainable Energy

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1672821999265000&usg=AOvVaw3lLKdHdEN0YvCEsaHI7hx9" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/71c64ea7-9cf5-4c31-a369-98c56ae03dc8?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>This article was first published on <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/alumnus-thermal-battery-antora-energy-0818" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" id="isPasted">MIT News</a>. &nbsp;<hr>The explosion of renewable energy projects around the globe is leading to a saturation problem. As more renewable power contributes to the grid, the value of electricity is plummeting during the times of day when wind and solar hit peak productivity. The problem is limiting renewable energy investments in some of the sunniest and windiest places in the world.Now Antora Energy, co-founded by David Bierman SM &rsquo;14, PhD &rsquo;17, is addressing the intermittent nature of wind and solar with a low-cost, highly efficient thermal battery that stores electricity as heat to allow manufacturers and other energy-hungry businesses to eliminate their use of fossil fuels.&ldquo;We take electricity when it&rsquo;s cheapest, meaning when wind gusts are strongest and the sun is shining brightest,&rdquo; Bierman explains. &ldquo;We run that electricity through a resistive heater to drive up the temperature of a very inexpensive material &mdash; we use carbon blocks, which are extremely stable, produced at incredible scales, and are some of the cheapest materials on Earth. When you need to pull energy from the battery, you open a large shutter to extract thermal radiation, which is used to generate process heat or power using our thermophotovoltaic, or TPV, technology. The end result is a zero-carbon, flexible, combined heat and power system for industry.&rdquo;Antora&rsquo;s battery could dramatically expand the application of renewable energy by enabling its use in industry, a sector of the U.S. economy that <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks" target="_blank">accounted for</a> nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2021.Antora says it is able to deliver on the long-sought promise of heat-to-power TPV technology because it has achieved new levels of <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/pdf/S2542-4351(22)00483-4.pdf" target="_blank" data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">efficiency</a> and scalability with its cells. Earlier this year, Antora opened a new manufacturing facility that will be capable of producing 2 megawatts of its TPV cells each year &mdash; which the company says makes it the largest TPV production facility in the world.Antora&rsquo;s thermal battery manufacturing facilities and demonstration unit are located in sun-soaked California, where renewables make up close to a third of all electricity. But Antora&rsquo;s team says its technology holds promise in other regions as increasingly large renewable projects connect to grids across the globe.&ldquo;We see places today [with high renewables] as a sign of where things are going,&rdquo; Bierman says. &ldquo;If you look at the tailwinds we have in the renewable industry, there&rsquo;s a sense of inevitability about solar and wind, which will need to be deployed at incredible scales to avoid a climate catastrophe. We&rsquo;ll see terawatts and terawatts of new additions of these renewables, so what you see today in California or Texas or Kansas, with significant periods of renewable overproduction, is just the tip of the iceberg.&rdquo;Bierman has been working on thermal energy storage and thermophotovoltaics since his time at MIT, and Antora&rsquo;s ties to MIT are especially strong because its progress is the result of two MIT startups becoming one.<h2>Alumni join forces</h2>Bierman did his masters and doctoral work in MIT&rsquo;s Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he worked on solid-state solar thermal energy conversion systems. In 2016, while taking course 15.366 (Climate and Energy Ventures), he met Jordan Kearns SM &rsquo;17, then a graduate student in the Technology and Policy Program and the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. The two were studying renewable energy when they began to think about the intermittent nature of wind and solar as an opportunity rather than a problem.&ldquo;There are already places in the U.S. where we have more wind and solar at times than we know what to do with,&rdquo; Kearns says. &ldquo;That is an opportunity for not only emissions reductions but also for reducing energy costs. What&rsquo;s the application? I don&rsquo;t think the overproduction of energy was being talked about as much as the intermittency problem.&rdquo;Kearns did research through the MIT Energy Initiative and the researchers received support from MIT&rsquo;s Venture Mentoring Service and the MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund to further explore ways to capitalize on fluctuating power prices.Kearns officially founded a company called Medley Thermal in 2017 to help companies that use natural gas switch to energy produced by renewables when the price was right. To accomplish that, he combined an off-the-shelf electric boiler with novel control software so the companies could switch energy sources seamlessly from fossil fuel to electricity at especially windy or sunny times. Medley went on to become a finalist for the MIT Clean Energy Prize, and Kearns wanted Bierman to join him as a co-founder, but Bierman had received a fellowship to commercialize a thermal energy storage solution and decided to pursue that after graduation.The split ended up working out for both alumni. In the ensuing years, Kearns led Medley Thermal through a number of projects in which gradually larger companies switched from relying on natural gas or propane sources to renewable electricity from the grid. The work culminated in an installment at the Jay Peak resort in Vermont that Kearns says is one of the largest projects in the U.S. using renewable energy to produce heat. The project is expected to reduce about 2,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year.Bierman, meanwhile, further developed a thermal energy storage solution for industrial decarbonization, which works by using renewable electricity to heat blocks of carbon, which are stored in insulation to retain energy for long periods of time. The heat from those blocks can then be used to deliver electricity or heat to customers, at temperatures that can exceed 1,500 C. When Antora raised a $50 million Series A funding round last year, Bierman asked Kearns if he could buy out Medley&rsquo;s team, and the researchers finally became co-workers.&ldquo;Antora and Medley Thermal have a similar value prop: There&rsquo;s low-cost electricity, and we want to connect that to the industrial sector,&rdquo; Kearns explains. &ldquo;But whereas Medley used renewables on an as-available basis, and then when the winds stop we went back to burning fossil fuel with a boiler, Antora has a thermal battery that takes in the electricity, converts it to heat, but also stores it as heat so even when the wind stops blowing we have a reservoir of heat that we can continue to pull from to make steam or power or whatever the facility needs. So, we can now further reduce energy costs by offsetting more fuel and offer a 100 percent clean energy solution.&rdquo;<h2>United we scale</h2>Today, Kearns runs the project development arm of Antora.&ldquo;There are other, much larger projects in the pipeline,&rdquo; Kearns says. &ldquo;The Jay Peak project is about 3 megawatts of power, but some of the ones we&rsquo;re working on now are 30, 60 megawatt projects. Those are more industrial focused, and they&rsquo;re located in places where we have a strong industrial base and an abundance of renewables, everywhere from Texas to Kansas to the Dakotas &mdash; that heart of the country that our team lovingly calls the Wind Belt.&rdquo;Antora&rsquo;s future projects will be with companies in the chemicals, mining, food and beverage, and oil and gas industries. Some of those projects are expected to come online as early as 2025. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The company&rsquo;s scaling strategy is centered on the inexpensive production process for its batteries.&ldquo;We constantly ask ourselves, &lsquo;What is the best product we can make here?&rsquo;&rdquo; Bierman says. &ldquo;We landed on a compact, containerized, modular system that gets shipped to sites and is easily integrated into industrial processes. It means we don&rsquo;t have huge construction projects, timelines, and budget overruns. Instead, it&rsquo;s all about scaling up the factory that builds these thermal batteries and just churning them out.&rdquo;It was a winding journey for Kearns and Bierman, but they now believe they&rsquo;re positioned to help huge companies become carbon-free while promoting the growth of the solar and wind industries.&ldquo;The more I dig into this, the more shocked I am at how important a piece of the decarbonization puzzle this is today,&rdquo; Bierman says. &ldquo;The need has become super real since we first started talking about this in 2016. The economic opportunity has grown, but more importantly the awareness from industries that they need to decarbonize is totally different. Antora can help with that, so we&rsquo;re scaling up as rapidly as possible to meet the demand we see in the market.&rdquo;<hr>&quot;Reprinted with permission of <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/alumnus-thermal-battery-antora-energy-0818" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" id="isPasted">MIT News</a>&quot; &nbsp;

Antora Energy is addressing the intermittent nature of wind and solar with a low-cost, highly efficient thermal battery that stores electricity as heat to allow manufacturers and other energy-hungry businesses to eliminate their use of fossil fuels. Image: MIT News with figures from iStock

Antora Energy, co-founded by David Bierman SM ’14, PhD ’17, is commercializing a thermal battery that lets manufacturers use renewable energy around the clock.

Thermal battery helps industry eliminate fossil fuels

A good battery needs two things: high energy density to power devices, and stability, so it can be safely and reliably recharged thousands of times. For the past three decades, lithium-ion batteries have reigned supreme &mdash; proving their performance in smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles.But battery researchers have begun to approach the limits of lithium-ion. As next-generation long-range vehicles and electric aircraft start to arrive on the market, the search for safer, cheaper, and more powerful battery systems that can outperform lithium-ion is ramping up.A team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, led by <a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/faculty/mcdowell-1" target="_blank">Matthew McDowell</a>, associate professor in the <a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering</a> and the <a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">School of Materials Science and Engineering</a>, is using aluminum foil to create batteries with higher energy density and greater stability. The team&rsquo;s new battery system, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39685-x" target="_blank">detailed in Nature Communications</a>, could enable electric vehicles to run longer on a single charge and would be cheaper to manufacture &mdash; all while having a positive impact on the environment.&ldquo;We are always looking for batteries with higher energy density, which would enable electric vehicles to drive for longer distances on a charge,&rdquo; McDowell said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s interesting that we can use aluminum as a battery material, because it&rsquo;s cost-effective, highly recyclable, and easy to work with.&rdquo;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1689922055043-23-R5001-P10-001.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Ph.D. student Yuhgene Liu, associate professor Matthew McDowell, and postdoctoral researcher Congcheng Wang in McDowell&#39;s lab at Georgia Tech.&nbsp;The idea of making batteries with aluminum isn&rsquo;t new. Researchers investigated its potential in the 1970s, but it didn&rsquo;t work well.When used in a conventional lithium-ion battery, aluminum fractures and fails within a few charge-discharge cycles, due to expansion and contraction as lithium travels in and out of the material. Developers concluded that aluminum wasn&rsquo;t a viable battery material, and the idea was largely abandoned.Now, solid-state batteries have entered the picture. While lithium-ion batteries contain a flammable liquid that can lead to fires, solid-state batteries contain a solid material that&#39;s not flammable and, therefore, likely safer. Solid-state batteries also enable the integration of new high-performance active materials, as shown in this research.The project began as a collaboration between the Georgia Tech team and Novelis, a leading manufacturer of aluminum and the world&rsquo;s largest aluminum recycler, as part of the Novelis Innovation Hub at Georgia Tech. The research team knew that aluminum would have energy, cost, and manufacturing benefits when used as a material in the battery&rsquo;s anode &mdash; the negatively charged side of the battery that stores lithium to create energy &mdash; but pure aluminum foils were failing rapidly when tested in batteries.The team decided to take a different approach. Instead of using pure aluminum in the foils, they added small amounts of other materials to the aluminum to create foils with particular &ldquo;microstructures,&rdquo; or arrangements of different materials. They tested over 100 different materials to understand how they would behave in batteries.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1689922114383-ezgif-4-6f37edc290.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A solid-state battery built in McDowell&rsquo;s laboratory.&nbsp;&ldquo;We needed to incorporate a material that would address aluminum&rsquo;s fundamental issues as a battery anode,&rdquo; said Yuhgene Liu, a Ph.D. student in McDowell&rsquo;s lab and first author on the paper. &ldquo;Our new aluminum foil anode demonstrated markedly improved performance and stability when implemented in solid-state batteries, as opposed to conventional lithium-ion batteries.&rdquo;&nbsp;The team observed that the aluminum anode could store more lithium than conventional anode materials, and therefore more energy. In the end, they had created high energy density batteries that could potentially outperform lithium-ion batteries.&ldquo;One of the benefits of our aluminum anode that we&#39;re excited about is that it enables performance improvements, but it also can be very cost-effective,&rdquo; McDowell said. &ldquo;On top of that, when using a foil directly as a battery component, we actually remove a lot of the manufacturing steps that would normally be required to produce a battery material.&rdquo;Short-range electric aircraft are in development by several companies, but the limiting factor is batteries. Today&rsquo;s batteries do not hold enough energy to power aircraft to fly distances greater than 150 miles or so. New battery chemistries are needed, and the McDowell team&rsquo;s aluminum anode batteries could open the door to more powerful battery technologies.&ldquo;The initial success of these aluminum foil anodes presents a new direction for discovering other potential battery materials,&rdquo; Liu said. &quot;This hopefully opens pathways for reimagining a more energy-optimized and cost-effective battery cell architecture.&rdquo;The team is currently working to scale up the size of the batteries to understand how size influences the aluminum&rsquo;s behavior. The group is also actively exploring other materials and microstructures with the goal of creating very cheap foils for battery systems.&ldquo;This is a story about a material that was known about for a long time, but was largely abandoned early on in battery development,&rdquo; McDowell said. &ldquo;But with new knowledge, combined with a new technology &mdash; the solid-state battery &mdash; we&#39;ve figured out how we can rejuvenate the idea and achieve really promising performance.&rdquo;<hr>Citation: Liu, Y., Wang, C., Yoon, S.G. et al. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39685-x" target="_blank">Aluminum foil negative electrodes with multiphase microstructure for all-solid-state Li-ion batteries</a>. Nat Commun 14, 3975 (2023).DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39685-x" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39685-x</a>Photography: Rob Felt

Graduate student researcher Yuhgene Liu holds an aluminum material for solid-state batteries.

The team’s new battery system could enable electric vehicles to run longer on a single charge and would be cheaper to manufacture — all while having a positive impact on the environment.

Aluminum Materials Show Promising Performance for Safer, Cheaper, More Powerful Batteries

Get ready to have your worldview shaken to the core.Battery technology is still in its infancy. Electric car batteries underperform and are a potential hazard. As the number of batteries used increases exponentially, it is only a matter of statistics and time before we see more of them bursting into flames in electric vehicles (EV) and e-bikes. Yet, the EV trend will not only continue, but future growth will also be explosive (pardon the pun).Oh, and by the way, only the paranoid survive.These could be interpreted as the rantings of a technophobe. Except LionVolt CEO Karl McGoldrick has spent decades inventing the future, and he&rsquo;s busy now developing the&nbsp;next generation of battery technology here at High Tech Campus Eindhoven.We like his odds.That&rsquo;s because McGoldrick has been at the ramparts of multiple tech revolutions. His first startup used Dutch technology to put a camera in your smartphone, which was here at HTC 27 while he worked at Philips.Now, after an illustrious corporate career and multiple startups, he&rsquo;s back in HTC 27 as CEO of the next-generation 3D solid state battery company LionVolt.This explains in part his take on current battery technology. McGoldrick compares the batteries in everything from Teslas to 14,000 euro Turbo Levo e-bikes and finds them wanting.In a recent interview on Campus, he compared today&rsquo;s lithium-ion batteries to the first days of the Internet with slow dial-up connections: &ldquo;You opened the connection, it made all these noises, then you went out for a cup of coffee while your page loaded. That&rsquo;s where the battery is today. Yeah &hellip; you only get 300, 400 kilometers in range, it takes hours to charge etc., etc.&rdquo;This native of Ireland is vocal about how he sees no future for the electrification of the auto industry based on the current battery technology &ndash; even though manufacturers and suppliers are building Giga factories all over the world. Those factories are, by their nature and materials used, hardly environmentally friendly. &ldquo;So, all this talk about, you know, saving the planet by having an electric vehicle is far from true today.&rdquo;Fortunately, McGoldrick is working on that. His LionVolt startup, a spinout of TNO/Holst Center, is developing a 3D solid state battery architecture to replace the current lithium-ion battery format. The technology involves layering ultra-thin materials in a 3D structure. The physics are, well, complicated, but McGoldrick says the battery is lighter, charges far faster and more sustainably than current lithium-ion batteries &hellip; and doesn&rsquo;t explode. Which is a good thing.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1687533186948-Screenshot+2023-06-19+at+2.24.47+PM.webp" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In March 2020, McGoldrick founded LionVolt with Sandeep Unikrishnaan, who had researched high-performance batteries at Holst Center on Campus. Since then, LionVolt&rsquo;s trajectory has been straight up, raising more than five million euros so far. &ldquo;When we started, the company was just the two of us,&rdquo; McGoldrick. &ldquo;And in 2021, we raised our first capital. Now, there are 16 amazing people in the company. If somebody asked me today, you know, &lsquo;What is your greatest pride?&rsquo; it wouldn&rsquo;t actually be our technology performance. It is the fact that this team has evolved so quickly while developing a passion for what we do.&rdquo;His team, he says, is working non-stop. &ldquo;Even this morning they were saying to me, &lsquo;You know, maybe we should start earlier.&rsquo; And one of them asked me, &lsquo;Should we put beds in (the LionVolt offices)?&rsquo; &rdquo;That American startup mindset &ndash; rare in the Netherlands &ndash; has been the norm for McGoldrick for most of his career. He started at the Intel fab in New Mexico, and he was Employee No. 1 at Intel&rsquo;s Ireland operation. McGoldrick had dinner once or twice with the admired/feared Intel legend Andy Grove. &ldquo;The guy who cracked the whip to turn Intel into the number one semiconductor company in the world,&rdquo; as McGoldrick puts it.And a guy who changed the world.McGoldrick&rsquo;s business approach comes out of his conversations with the late Intel CEO in which Grove&nbsp;expounded on the concept of an &ldquo;inflection point.&rdquo; &ldquo;And he wrote a book, which I would advise anybody in the tech industry to read. It&rsquo;s called &lsquo;Only the Paranoid Survive.&rsquo; &rdquo;The rest of the world is all about being positive and thinking big, whereas Grove&rsquo;s philosophy was, be wary. Be very wary, be paranoid and react, McGoldrick said. And that crucial moment to react is the inflection point &ndash; a moment in time which will determine what happens in the future.&nbsp;&ldquo;If you recognize it and you respond to it, it will be a positive inflection point. If you miss it, it will be negative and the company will go down.&rdquo; After 15 startups, McGoldrick says, he knows Grove was correct. &ldquo;In every startup, there are crucial moments to the success of the startup. And if you miss that, then you will die.&rdquo;McGoldrick is so influenced by Grove that he named one of his companies &ldquo;Innflect, and it comes from talking to him.&rdquo;At one point, Intel sent McGoldrick to its headquarters in Santa Clara in Silicon Valley, and while he was there, he says he got &ndash; his term &ndash; &ldquo;besotted&rdquo; with the whole startup world.&nbsp;After Intel, Philips headhunted McGoldrick to come back for the start of Philips Semiconductors, now NXP. But once he got a taste of the startup world in The Valley, there was no going back: &ldquo;This is where my heart and soul is. I want to be a starter.&rdquo;That was to come. One added cameras in smartphones and another developed flexible displays where that IP is now in Samsung Fold phones &ndash; all in HTC 27.&ldquo;That started right here in this building. I can&rsquo;t believe I&rsquo;m back in it,&rdquo; McGoldrick said.&ldquo;As I got older, I started drifting away from just liking sexy technology to wanting to do something that makes a difference,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;While I was at TNO helping with a spin-out, I saw the technology behind (LionVolt). So, here&rsquo;s where we get into your question of why am I doing this &hellip;&rdquo;If you look at the auto industry today, all the headlines are about electric vehicles, McGoldrick says. The reality is that EVs are only about three percent of the total automotive market. Electric cars get publicity not because of the percentage of the market they have today, but because of the size of the market they&rsquo;re going to capture in the future, driven also by the EU and other countries planning to ban internal combustion engines, he adds.&ldquo;So, all of a sudden, the world knows, electric vehicles are the future; it&rsquo;s going to be explosive. Now, they&rsquo;re going to be &ndash; excuse my pun &ndash; because that&rsquo;s exactly the problem. It really is going to be explosive.&rdquo;Today, the world uses wet lithium-ion batteries, yet the word &ldquo;wet&rdquo; is often omitted, McGoldrick said. &ldquo;But that&rsquo;s exactly what they are. There&rsquo;s a liquid (electrolyte) in there which makes them (potentially) flammable and explosive.&rdquo;The media, recently including the New York Times, has reported with increasingly regularity how lithium-ion batteries pose a fire hazard both in cars and electric bikes.With the failure rate being one in millions, he acknowledges that today the events are scarce. &ldquo;So, people argue with me that &lsquo;Hey, you know, your point is not valid.&rsquo; But it&rsquo;s only a question of time, as the (adoption) curve increases, it becomes statistically impossible for it not to start happening.&rdquo;As LionVolt technology advances, McGoldrick wants to enter every industry, from automotive to aircraft to wearables.So, Karl McGoldrick is &ndash; as usual &ndash; at the inflection point, ready to seize the opportunity. Somewhere up in tech heaven, Andy Grove is smiling.

Battery technology is still in its infancy. Electric car batteries underperform and are a potential hazard. As the number of batteries used increases exponentially, it is only a matter of statistics and time before we see more of them bursting into flames in electric vehicles (EV) and e-bikes. Yet, the EV trend will not only continue, but future growth will also be explosive (pardon the pun).