It can be a difficult decision when deciding whether to utilize batteries or supercapacitors. Batteries offer a steady source of power but can suffer from their capacity degrading over time. On the other hand, supercapacitors provide quick charging and discharging capabilities but are limited when it comes to long duration storage capacity. This challenge is why many are making the change to hybrid systems that combine the best properties of batteries and supercapacitors to create an efficient and dependable power solution. Let&#39;s dive in to the differences between batteries and&nbsp;supercapacitors, hybrid energy storage systems that utilize both of them, and how Capacitech&rsquo;s products overcome difficulties, offering their customers the storage system of the future.Before we go into detail, here is a quick summary:<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681741136016-Screenshot+2023-04-17+101851.png" style="width: 688px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3>What are batteries?</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681741294902-Screenshot+2023-04-17+102129.png" style="width: 626px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Batteries are energy storage devices that use electrochemical reactions to store electrical energy as chemical energy, which can then be converted back into electricity when needed. Batteries have a relatively high energy density compared to other forms of energy storage, making them the perfect option for many applications that need long-term storage. They also have a low self-discharge rate, meaning that when they are not in use, they only lose a small percentage of charge.&nbsp;Although batteries offer several advantages over other forms of energy storage, they have some disadvantages as well. As a result of energy in batteries being stored as chemical energy, the power density tends to be lower than some other energy storage devices, meaning it cannot quickly deliver a large quantity of energy in a short period of time. Batteries that are exposed to loads that require bursts of power can degrade quickly, wasting their capacity and even shortening their operating life. Batteries also typically have a short cycle life, which depending on their chemistry can be as short as 500 cycles. <h3>What are supercapacitors?</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681741340674-Screenshot+2023-04-17+102214.png" style="width: 676px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Supercapacitors are another energy storage technology. Unlike batteries, supercapacitors store most of their energy electrostatically. As a result of this, they can charge and discharge energy much quicker than batteries, with power densities typically 10 times greater.The biggest advantage of a supercapacitor is its high power density, which allows it to supply large amounts of power in short bursts. This makes them perfect for applications that require quick bursts of energy such as starting a pump or motor. Since there are no chemical reactions in a supercapacitor&rsquo;s energy storage process, their lifespans tend to be much longer than that of a battery, reaching cycle lives of up to one million.Supercapacitors are more stable across a wider range of temperatures compared to batteries, allowing them to be used in locations with extreme temperatures. They can be operated in temperatures that range from -40C to 65C (-40F to 149F), whereas batteries like the Panasonic NCR18650GA Li-ion battery can only be operated in temperatures from 0C to 45C (32F to 113F).&nbsp;Supercapacitors, like batteries, have disadvantages of their own. They have a much lower energy density than batteries making them unsuitable for applications requiring long-term storage of energy. Supercapacitors also have a high self-discharge rate, meaning that when they are not in use, they tend to lose a large percentage of their charge. They are also typically more expensive than batteries.&nbsp; <h3>What are the benefits of using a hybrid system?</h3>By combining the complementary advantages of batteries and supercapacitors, these two systems can be a perfect fit in applications with dynamic, fluctuating loads that also have longer duration storage requirements. Cleantech applications like electric tug boats or solar farms operating in areas with moving cloud coverage are prime candidates.&nbsp;As mentioned before, supercapacitors are well suited for applications that require quick bursts of power, such as starting a motor or providing peak power demands for brief periods. These devices can charge and discharge very large amounts of power in short periods of time, making them perfect for short-term or &quot;turn-on&quot; needs, like accelerating an electric scooter. Batteries on the other hand, are great for contributing steady, longer-term power, which can provide the steady-state power needed to keep the electric scooter running, for example.When used together in a hybrid energy storage system, the two technologies can allow for a more stable system as well as support each other&rsquo;s strengths. <h3 id="isPasted">What are the tradeoffs of using a hybrid system?</h3>&nbsp;Hybrid systems do not come without tradeoffs of their own; one of the most prominent being the lack of physical space for it. Size and space restrictions tend to cause designers to pick one energy storage technology over the other, rather than having both. Batteries and supercapacitors compete for space in an energy storage system. On a solar farm, for example, a certain amount of space may be allocated for long-duration storage (batteries). To add supercapacitors to this farm, which would provide the extra power needed to keep loads on during periods of moving cloud coverage, designers would have to either get rid of batteries to making space for the supercapacitors (less long-duration storage), increase the size of the energy storage container (less space for solar panels), or invest in more property (added cost).&nbsp; <h3>Capacitech&rsquo;s Power Storage Cable revolutionizes hybrid systems</h3>Capacitech&#39;s Power Storage Cable is designed to alleviate the engineering tradeoffs that make combining batteries and supercapacitors a challenge. The Power Storage Cable conceals supercapacitors and power electronics inside a power cord, allowing for any design tradeoffs typically associated with creating a hybrid system to be avoided, providing customers with a chance to use space that is not traditionally used for energy storage. This allows for the creation of a discrete and distributed network of supercapacitors running between solar panels, batteries, inverters, and the loads in which they are powering. Our cables provide the advantages of supercapacitors to provide the ideal energy storage system, allowing for a higher level of efficiency and flexibility in energy storage systems without the typical tradeoffs of hybrid systems.

Batteries are great, but they are not perfect. The same can be said about supercapacitors. Actually, where one is strong the other is weak. This is why there is growing interest in using both at the same time, but that can be challenging. In this article, we talk about differences between batteries, supercapacitors, hybrids, and how Capacitech’s unique approach to energy storage systems overcomes challenges faced in the past. 

Batteries or Supercapacitors? Why Not Both?

<html><head></head><body>Off-grid events are becoming increasingly popular, and Red Bull's annual event Rampage is no exception. The home to some of the best mountain biking courses in the world is in the middle of the desert in Utah, where the nearest power outlet is miles away. Critical parts of the event were powered by batteries and solar panels rather than gas generators, which is a true testament to how far renewable energy technology has come in recent years. Capacitech was hired to address the shortcomings of batteries to power media equipment, a drone charging station, and ovens so that this off-grid event could take place without any issues. Let’s take a look at how Red Bull's off-grid event was powered by batteries, solar panels, and Capacitech’s Power Storage Cables.&nbsp;The Benefits of Using Batteries and Solar PanelsWhen Red Bull wanted to power their freeride mountain bike competition, Rampage, they opted to use batteries and solar panels to power parts of their event. Choosing batteries and solar as gas generator alternatives is a smart choice for a number of reasons. Gas generators are noisy and give off unpleasant odors, which can ruin the spectator’s experience. Additionally, they require someone to keep them topped off with gasoline which is costly and bad for the environment. Even when little to no power is being used, idling generators still consume gas, which is an expensive and limited resource when you are miles from the nearest gas station. In an effort to conserve gas,&nbsp;generators need to be turned off at night, further reducing power access at the event for night crews to use.Solar panels and batteries are an odor and noise-free alternative. We go deep into these benefits in one of our articles on this topic. <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/blog/the-best-events-are-powered-by-clean-off-grid-energy-storage" target="_blank">Check it out here.</a> The basics of it are that sunlight powers the load (equipment like walkie-talkie chargers, laptops, small TVs, etc...) and charges the batteries. When extra energy is needed or a cloud passes overhead, the batteries discharge, providing the electrical power required to sustain the equipment the system is powering. This is an environmentally friendly and cost-saving option that should be highly considered for powering outdoor events.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Challenges of Using Batteries and Solar PanelsHowever, when using batteries and solar panels to power an event like Red Bull Rampage, there can be a few challenges. While batteries are great options for charging laptops or phones, they struggle to power equipment that need a large burst of power to turn on. Batteries are not designed for this kind of sudden delivery of large amounts of power, but equipment like speakers, jumbotrons, fast-charging drones, and ovens require it. This is where Capacitech comes in. At Rampage, our job was to ensure that drone charging stations, water filtration systems, and ovens used to bake s’mores were operational, without needing to oversize the battery system.How’d we do it? We use an incredible technology called a supercapacitor, which is hidden inside Capacitech's Power Storage Cables where they don’t compete for space with other equipment or batteries. Supercapacitors can quickly deliver large amounts of power, so they are the ideal device for providing the turn-on power required by equipment typical of outdoor events. By using a combination of batteries and supercapacitors, Red Bull Rampage was able to have a successful off-grid event powered by renewable energy sources.&nbsp;Power Storage Cables to the RescueInverters are an integral part of powering off-grid events. Inverters convert the DC voltage from the batteries and supercapacitors into AC voltage to power the equipment. Inverters have a working voltage window, and if the DC input voltage to the inverter is too low, it does not deliver the correct AC output voltage. This results in the equipment either not turning on or improperly functioning.So why is it so hard to use batteries to power certain kinds of loads? It is because they have a high internal resistance. When a high-powered load is connected to a battery, like plugging in a drone battery to charge, there will be a large instantaneous drop in the battery's voltage. That voltage drop is too low for the inverter, leading to the wrong AC output voltage. This was the case about 5% of the time at Red Bull Rampage (the times when the equipment was being plugged in or turned on), the battery voltage was about 20% lower than it should have been. Given the load needs a certain amount of power, the response is to draw more current out of the battery to compensate for the low voltage. This only worsens the issue.&nbsp;Power Storage Cables to the rescue. As mentioned before, Capacitech's Power Storage Cables utilize supercapacitor technologies. Supercapacitors have a significantly lower internal resistance than batteries do, which is one of the key differences between batteries and supercapacitors. It is also why supercapacitors are so good at instantaneously delivering high levels of power. Pairing them together reduces the system's overall internal resistance, resulting in a smaller instantaneous voltage drop when turning on equipment. This enables the system to provide the correct DC voltage to the inverter and avoids all these issues to provide reliable power storage. This is important in more areas than you think. It’s not just drone charging stations, but this approach was also used to power water filtration systems through the night (after hours when all the gas-powered generators were turned off) and also ovens in a farmer’s market-like setting used to bake s’mores.&nbsp; <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M_yWynSUpoM?&amp;embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capacitechenergy.com%2F&amp;feature=emb_logo&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"></iframe> The Future of Off-Grid EventsEvents like college tailgates and music festivals are powered by gas generators every day. However, it is time to turn towards a more environmentally friendly alternative. It is time to replace gas generators and power more than just phones and laptops with solar panels and batteries. From jumbotrons to speaker systems, Capacitech’s Power Storage Cables enable solar panels and batteries to power almost anything at outdoor events!Making use of the superpowers of supercapacitors, Capacitech's Power Storage Cables help solar panels and batteries do more. So, the next time you're at an outdoor event, take a look at what's powering it. It may very well be powered by solar panels and batteries, made possible by Capacitech's Power Storage Cables!&nbsp;</body></html>

This was a mission-critical test case for Red Bull. The goal was to recharge the drone batteries quickly, needing high levels of power. The battery generator did not have the peak power required nor the power quality to complete the task on its own, but in combination with Capacitech's products, the system worked without a hitch!

Red Bull and Capacitech Redefine Boundaries of Cleantech with Solar, Batteries, and Supercapacitors

Visualize yourself strolling through a local farmers&#39; market on a beautiful Sunday morning, taking in the vibrant colors of the freshly-picked produce, the sweet smells of pastries, and the cheerful chatter of the local vendors. As you continue walking, the aroma of freshly-baked goods and the noise of conversations become replaced by the thick smell of gasoline and the constant hum of the generator powering the event. The once clean and organic atmosphere feels like a fa&ccedil;ade, leaving many to wonder if gas generators are the only answer for supplying power to off-grid events.Outdoor events, such as farmers&#39; markets, are often run by gas generators, which convert gas into the electrical power vendors need in order to run their equipment (fans, lights, ovens, stoves, speakers, and more). Generators are an affordable and trusted commodity, but regrettably, they are not clean; with their loud humming and fumes, they can quickly disrupt the atmosphere of a wonderful event. Events should be powered by clean energy sources, free of bothersome sounds and intrusive smells. <h3>Solar and batteries are a clean alternative</h3>Gas generators may be adequate for the present, but as time progresses, they are becoming less ideal. It is essential for event planners to find clean, off-grid energy storage solutions that provide the required electrical power for these outdoor events. One solution is to pair solar power with batteries, creating an environmentally friendly alternative to gas generators.Solar panels convert light into electrical power, which can then be used to power vendor equipment and charge the paired battery system. The batteries store the leftover energy from the solar panels and provide this energy to the equipment during times when the solar panel alone cannot power the system (i.e. on cloudy days, or at night). <h3>However, batteries alone can&#39;t power everything</h3>A vendor hooks their equipment up to a solar and battery-powered generator, but nothing happens. The battery states it can deliver 2.4kW, which seems adequate, so how could this be? The answer is power.Batteries shine at providing long-duration storage (high energy density), but lack a sufficient amount of power density, meaning they struggle to supply the &ldquo;turn on&rdquo; power required by things such as fans, HVAC systems, ovens, speakers, pumps, and even LED strips.The power required to turn on that vendor&rsquo;s equipment was higher than what the battery could provide. Think about how it is harder to start pushing a box than it is to continue pushing it. The same happens with electronic systems. It requires more power to turn equipment on than it does to keep it running.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Hybrid energy storage systems are the solution</h3>Batteries and other energy-dense technologies can be paired with power-dense energy storage technologies, such as supercapacitors, to harness the best of both worlds. Supercapacitors have a high power density and low energy density, meaning they can supply the &ldquo;turn on&rdquo; power required but cannot maintain it for long periods of time. A hybrid approach allows the battery to do what it does best (long-duration storage) and the supercapacitor to do what it does best (short bursts of high power).However, a hybrid energy storage system is not one without tradeoffs. The addition of an energy storage technology creates complications regarding the physical space within a system. Meaning if supercapacitors are added to a system, this leaves less space for the batteries. This causes a difficult tradeoff to be made in order to get the best balance of long-term storage and power capacity. This is where Capacitech can help; we designed and manufactured a solution that allows for the utilization of both batteries and supercapacitors, without the tradeoffs. <h3>The best supercapacitor is flexible</h3>Capacitech has taken energy storage systems to the next level. By incorporating supercapacitors into power cords, there is now no competition for space with batteries. This allows supercapacitors to connect the batteries to power sources and loads, enhancing them without the tradeoffs that typically come with the use of hybrid systems.For example, Capacitech&#39;s 10ft long energy-storing power cord can deliver up to 55kW of power in a matter of seconds, supplying all the &quot;turn on&quot; power you could need. A battery sized to provide that same amount of power would need to be 10x larger and would be much more expensive. Capacitech makes it easy to meet all of your power needs with a simple, affordable battery and our dual-function power cord.&nbsp;<h3>Benefits of using clean, off-grid energy storage</h3>Pairing batteries and supercapacitors can lead the way to a truly powerful and streamlined off-grid energy storage solution. Not only is the event quiet, clean, and odor free, but the application of renewable energy sources like solar is now a practical gas generator replacement. The many needs of concerts, farmers&rsquo; markets, or any outdoor activity will be met with the assistance of batteries as well as supercapacitors. With these systems in place, event planners can be certain that their events will be environmentally friendly and go off without a hitch!

Event planners should shift away from gas generators and towards clean, off-grid energy sources like solar to power their outdoor events. In this blog we’ll look at an alternative to gas generators, why it can be difficult to adopt, and how Capacitech makes this adoption easier and more affordable.

The Best Events are Powered by Clean, Off-Grid Energy Storage

Cables that enable&hellip;kind of cheesy right? But, it&rsquo;s what we do. We provide an external solution that makes batteries perform better, and we do it with a cable.<h3>Do batteries really need to be better?</h3>Here&rsquo;s the truth: batteries alone can&rsquo;t power our future. What they can do and what they should do are not the same. Although they can store energy for long durations (high specific energy) and have a low self-discharge, they have a hard time delivering a lot of energy very quickly (low specific power) and have a relatively short operating life. Charging or discharging at high rates is damaging to batteries, resulting in frequent and costly replacements. The current way around this is to oversize the battery so the system can handle these high charge/discharge rates, but this is expensive and unsustainable for the renewables industry.<h3>If batteries alone can&rsquo;t do it, then what do we do?</h3>Batteries aren&rsquo;t the only energy storage technology out there, and it&rsquo;s time to start bringing the others onto the playing field. One of these other technologies is supercapacitors. Supercapacitors have a long operating life (upwards of one million cycles) and deliver a lot of energy very quickly (high specific power), making them the perfect solution for applications that require bursts of high power. However, supercapacitors lack the high specific energy and low self-discharge rate that batteries have, making it difficult to replace batteries with supercapacitors in some applications.But what if what we&rsquo;re looking for isn&rsquo;t necessarily a replacement but an addition? The ideal energy storage system would utilize multiple technologies to get the best of both (or all) worlds, creating a hybrid energy storage system. It&rsquo;s easier said than done, however. Combining multiple technologies does not come without tradeoffs. Most applications are limited in physical space, forcing designers to sacrifice specific energy for specific power or vice versa. This tradeoff typically discourages the usage of hybrid systems, but what if something on the market could mitigate these tradeoffs?<h3>Capacitech&rsquo;s power storing cables are the answer</h3>Capacitech&rsquo;s cables leverage the characteristics of supercapacitors to enhance energy-dense technologies like batteries and fuel cells without the tradeoffs that typically come with hybrid energy storage systems. We hide supercapacitor technologies in the wiring infrastructure, keeping areas aesthetically pleasing and allowing customers to utilize traditionally unused space for energy storage. As a supercapacitor would, our cables provide peak power support, helping batteries start loads they may not have been able to do on their own.Electronics designed to manage the power flow through the system are pre-integrated into the cables, allowing the battery and our cable to pass the work off to one another during situations such as power surges or periods of steady-state operation. These electronics, paired with our cable being battery and inverter agnostic, enable a drop-in and easy installation. Simple installations allow customers to enhance pre-existing battery systems without costly redesigns, reducing one-time and ongoing operating expenses.&nbsp;Capacitech bridges the gap between energy storage technologies, enhancing and enabling hybrid systems. Our cables provide the advantages of supercapacitors to create the ideal energy storage system, all while mitigating the tradeoffs typical of them.

Batteries alone can’t power our future. However, finding a viable battery replacement can prove to be a difficult task. Perhaps the answer is an addition to batteries instead of trying to replace them.

Cables that Enable Better Batteries

The world uses more energy than it ever has before, and chances are, we are not going to slow down. As the supply of fossil fuel reserves deplete, the world must shift to renewable energy sources to power our everyday lives.&nbsp;While harnessing the power of a seemingly predictable renewable resource like the sun sounds straightforward, there are obstacles. Solar energy is not generally available when energy is most needed. Peak power usage often occurs in the evenings as people return home after work to cook, run appliances, and turn down the AC to cool the home for the night. This has caused a growing interest in using energy storage technologies to augment solar power systems. These storage systems can charge during the day (giving the excess solar energy generated somewhere to go) and discharge during the evening peak power usage periods (when energy is worth the most).&nbsp; Batteries Alone Face ChallengesOne popular method to store solar energy is by using batteries. Batteries are designed to provide medium to low levels of power over long periods of time but have a short operating life (due to their limited cycle life) and are not designed to respond to sudden surges of power draw. When batteries are alone in an energy storage system, they are required to respond to spikes in demand and surges of power. The result is a decline in battery performance and shorter operating life.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Battery-capacity-versus-number-of-cycles-curve-under-different-rates_fig3_317107750" target="_blank"><img border="0" width="624" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjYxNTI2OTI0Nzc2LTE2NjE1MjY5MjQ3NzYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></a>&nbsp;This graph shows the decline in capacity and operating life (number of cycles) at increased levels of power (<a href="https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-402-what-is-c-rate" target="_blank">C-rate</a>).&nbsp;Image was created by Peng Zhang, Jun Liang, and Feng Zhang for the publication titled &ldquo;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317107750_An_Overview_of_Different_Approaches_for_Battery_Lifetime_Prediction" target="_blank">An Overview of Different Approaches for Battery Lifetime Prediction</a>&rdquo; and was made available via the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. As such, the battery offers diminishing returns over their operating life until needing to be replaced (which is expensive). Considering these characteristics, the dynamic nature of the active loads powered by the grid, and the high operating costs for batteries in solar power systems, batteries alone are not the ideal solution. How Supercapacitors Help BatteriesThis is where supercapacitors and their ability to discharge a lot of energy very quickly can play a pivotal role. While they cannot provide energy for long periods of time the way a battery can, they are designed to handle large, rapid power fluctuations. They also feature a very high cycle life and require little maintenance compared to batteries.&nbsp;This can be seen in the chart below describing batteries and supercapacitors. Where one performs well, the other does not. Supercapacitors feature superior power density whereas batteries feature superior energy density. An ideal energy storage system should be optimized for both.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Spider-web-diagram-for-comparison-of-supercapacitor-and-Li-ion-polymer-battery_fig2_301772281" target="_blank"><img border="0" width="624" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjYxNTI2OTI0Nzk3LTE2NjE1MjY5MjQ3OTcucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></a>A radar chart showing that the strengths of supercapacitors (SCAP) are the weaknesses of batteries (BAT LiPo) and vice versa.Image by Pierre Saenger, Nathalie Devillers, Karine Deschinkel, and Marie-C&eacute;cile P&eacute;ra for the publication &ldquo;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301772281_An_Optimal_Sizing_of_Electrical_Energy_Storage_System_for_an_Accurate_Energy_Management_in_an_Aircraft" target="_blank">An Optimal Sizing of Electrical Energy Storage System for an Accurate Energy Management in an Aircraft</a>&rdquo; One well known solution is to pair supercapacitors and batteries forming a hybrid energy storage system. This approach however creates design tradeoffs. Where is there physical space to use both batteries and supercapacitors without anything else being impacted? The addition of supercapacitors comes at the cost of using a smaller battery (reducing long duration storage) or fewer solar panels (reducing solar capacity) due to the limitation of physical space available.<img border="0" width="624" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjYxNTI2OTI0OTY4LTE2NjE1MjY5MjQ5NjgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Battery-only energy storage systems take up a significant amount of space on solar farms, and adding supercapacitor banks will only take up more of the farm&rsquo;s footprint that could otherwise be used for more solar panels.&nbsp;Flexible Cable Supercapacitors Add ValueCapacitech helps our customers overcome these tradeoffs, delivering the best of both worlds by building hybrid energy storage systems that utilize supercapacitors that have little to no surface area, or footprint, in the system. How? Capacitech incorporates a flexible supercapacitor that can be hidden in the existing wiring infrastructure of the solar power system running between batteries and power electronics. The result features fewer tradeoffs including:&nbsp;<ol><li>Higher peak power capacity&nbsp;</li><li>Improved operating life compared to a battery-only design&nbsp;</li><li>Smaller footprint compared to performance of a comparable energy storage system &nbsp;</li></ol>In short, Capacitech helps batteries do more by complementing them with supercapacitors discretely distributed throughout the system.

The shift to renewable energy is on the rise as fossil fuel reserves deplete. Learn about the growing interest in pairing energy storage with solar power, the tradeoffs that come with doing so, and how Capacitech’s flexible supercapacitor technology can help customers overcome these challenges.

Cables that Store Solar Power, Help Batteries, and Save Money

Virtual and augmented reality are becoming more prevalent in recreational and professional applications. Manufacturing, maintenance, construction, and surveying activities are just a few examples of where virtual and augmented reality technologies are becoming increasingly useful.&nbsp;Whether it&rsquo;s to create a safe, effective, and immersive medium to share visual information or simply provide training for a task, AR and VR systems have become indispensable productivity boosters.&nbsp;With the ever-increasing demands for such products, the requirements for their hardware increase too. Optimal battery life is a pivotal requirement of AR and VR systems. Afterall, what good is an advanced, immersive visual tool if you can&rsquo;t use it for very long?Currently, there are two ways to improve the battery life of AR and VR devices. The simplest method is to add more battery cells to the device. While this will certainly improve the system&rsquo;s energy storage capacity, it will also make the physical device heavier, uncomfortable, and bulkier -- none of which are desirable qualities.&nbsp;The other option is to implement an energy harvesting device, such as a solar cell, to pair with the batteries in an AR/VR system. The downside to that option is that energy harvesting devices deliver intermittent and small amounts of power to the headset. The HoloLens 2 headset recommends delivering &gt;5W of power, which would require a very large solar cell to meet when compared to the size of the headset. &nbsp;&nbsp;However, this is an opportunity to consider supercapacitors&rsquo; unique ability to charge with very small levels of power, even from intermittent sources, and discharge a high amount of power to the load. The challenge that comes with using supercapacitors is the need to find enough physical space on a circuit board or in the systems to place them.This is a major advantage that the Cable-Based Capacitors (CBCs) provide. Capacitech&rsquo;s flexible supercapacitor is capable of being integrated into a design without causing negative design tradeoffs. Areas with complex geometries can now be utilized by taking advantage of the CBC&rsquo;s flexibility.This includes integrating supercapacitors into cables that deliver power to the headset, or across the straps of the headset without sacrificing comfort level. The CBC&rsquo;s form factor enables designers to take advantage of the space that is typically ignored or left vacant. Pairing the CBC and energy harvesting technology offers a pathway to extend AR and VR runtimes to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.&nbsp;From Concept to Reality&nbsp;Capacitech has partnered with 3D Media to extend the runtime of AR/VR headsets to be used for US Air Force flight maintenance. The addition of the CBC and solar cells to the headset will enable users to work on a flight line for longer periods of time, without the need to be tethered to a power outlet or frequently recharge the headset. 3D Media&rsquo;s custom software bundled with the extension of runtime helps the Air Force improve achieve operational excellence and efficiency previously unattainable without these technologies. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1657214997269-Picture1.png" style="width: 620px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> About 3D Media3D Media is a woman and veteran-owned small business founded on the idea of creating better training for all through VR/AR technology. Their mission is to reduce risks caused by flawed training models, and help organizations build an agile and adaptive workforce via scalable VR/AR training solutions. For more information, visit <a href="https://3dmedia.io/" target="_blank">https://3dmedia.io/</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<div id="_com_9" language="JavaScript"> </div>

Virtual and augmented reality are becoming increasingly useful for manufacturing, maintenance, construction and surveying activities, but what good is an advanced immersive visual medium if you can’t use it for very long? 

Avoiding Dead Batteries in AR and VR Headsets

With the ever-increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), companies must compete in price, range, and cargo space to capture more of the market.&nbsp;Tremendous activity is happening in the EV energy storage space to optimize range, size and longevity. Many companies are working to implement solid-state batteries among other innovations, many of which are still years away from mass market adoption.&nbsp; So how are companies optimizing energy storage systems in EVs?One way electric vehicle companies, like Tesla, are improving their energy storage systems is by building batteries into every part of the vehicle possible. Tesla&rsquo;s new battery pack for the Model Y is being built into structural parts of the vehicle, rather than limiting batteries to placement inside the space dedicated for the energy storage system.&nbsp;This adoption of structural energy storage reduces the number of parts required, greatly simplifying the assembly process and decreasing the total mass of the vehicle. As a result, improvements in efficiency and range, and a decrease in price, can be expected. Where else can a battery be placed?&nbsp;Battery cells come in rigid form factors. This limits where and how they can be implemented without forcing major design tradeoffs. For example, if an EV company wants to increase the size of its energy storage system, they may have to sacrifice cargo space that could have otherwise been an attractive feature to consumers.But what if energy storage technologies were not limited by the shapes and sizes they traditionally come in.&nbsp;Now, it&rsquo;s no longer a question of &quot;if.&rdquo; A Flexible FutureCapacitech provides a high-power storage option that can be integrated into complex geometries such as the parts of the vehicle a traditional battery does not fit into. It&rsquo;s called the <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/cable-based-capacitor" target="_blank">Cable-Based Capacitor</a>, or CBC.&nbsp;The CBC is a flexible, wire-shaped supercapacitor optimized to populate unconventional space that would otherwise be left unused. The CBC helps designers expand the energy storage system to new places to complement batteries and improve performance. Unlike traditional supercapacitors, CBCs can be routed throughout an EV&rsquo;s wiring infrastructure, adding energy storage to pre-existing systems without sacrificing space that could be used to add more batteries or cargo space.Integrating CBCs into energy storage systems would allow engineers to take advantage of their system&rsquo;s structure better than ever. As a result, these systems would improve performance, enable new features and streamline design. Learn More Check out <a href="//www.capacitechenergy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.capacitechenergy.com</a> or reach out to us at <a data-fr-linked="true" href="mailto:hello@capacitechenergy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hello@capacitechenergy.com</a>.&nbsp;

Battery cells come in rigid form factors that limit where and how they can be implemented in electric vehicles without forcing major design tradeoffs.  Capacitech’s flexible energy storage products complements batteries, improves performance, enable features, and streamlines design. 

Space Matters

Are batteries and supercapacitors synonymous?Although both batteries and supercapacitors are energy storage devices, they have different properties that allow them to serve different functions. The main properties of interest when looking at energy storage devices are the energy density (Wh/L) and power density (W/L). Energy density determines the amount of energy that can be stored in the device, while the power density determines how quickly a device can transfer energy.&nbsp;The factors of energy storage and energy delivery will help determine which device is most suitable depending on its application. Batteries have a high energy density, but a very low power density. Supercapacitors have a very high power density, but a very low energy density. Capacitors, supercapacitors, and batteries all store energy, but they are not interchangeable.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ5MTc5ODc2ODAwLVNjcmVlbiBTaG90IDIwMjItMDQtMDUgYXQgMS4zMS4xMCBQTS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 572px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div data-block-type="2" id="isPasted"> Is it possible for supercapacitors to have comparable energy densities to batteries?While it is possible for some supercapacitors to store a comparable amount of energy as some batteries, batteries will normally win the energy storage game while supercapacitors will normally win the power delivery game. This is because batteries store their energy through the use of chemical reactions, which can be up to 100 times more effective at storing electrical energy. However, this makes batteries less effective at delivering energy quickly, which is why it is often smart to implement a hybrid system of both batteries and supercapacitors. Simply stated, batteries move ions and supercapacitors move electrons. For this reason, batteries are designed for energy density and supercapacitors are designed for power density.&nbsp; Can supercapacitors be charged and discharged just like a battery?Sort of, but not exactly. Both devices charge under constant current. Both devices have a voltage rating that the device cannot be charged past. The key differences are:&nbsp;<ol data-rte-list="default"><li>Operating voltage window&nbsp;</li><li>Charge rate &nbsp;</li></ol>While both devices operate within a specific voltage window, supercapacitors typically operate from voltages as low as 0.1V to whatever its rated voltage is. Batteries typically have a more specific voltage window. For example, lithium ion batteries operate between 3V and 4.2V. Outside of that voltage window, the battery may be damaged or offer little to no energy storage capability.&nbsp;Supercapacitors can be charged (as a percentage of its capacity) much faster than batteries can. This is called C-Rate for batteries, relating the capacity of the battery (in mAh or Ah) to the charge and discharge rate. For example, a 1Ah battery charging at 1A is operating at 1C. The same 1Ah battery operating at 0.5Ah is operating at C/2 (50% of the capacity). Supercapacitors do not have very specific charging requirements, as long as the charging current is below the max current rating (typically very high compared to its capacity in Ah). A single cell of our Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is rated below 1mAh but charges and discharges at 1250mAh very well. Batteries may need to be charged at lower C-Rates to work well and could be damaged discharging at higher C-Rates.&nbsp;Batteries are more sensitive to differences in charging and discharging than supercapacitors. Designs using supercapacitors only need to take into account the maximum voltage and current ratings. So long as you stay below those ratings, the supercapacitor will be okay.&nbsp; Do supercapacitors last forever?The short answer is no, but they can last an exceedingly long time. This idea of supercapacitors lasting forever comes from comparing them to batteries. Supercapacitors are based on a structure that does not wear out as easily as many batteries do. Batteries are often limited to a standard number of charge/discharge cycles, whereas supercapacitors have a near infinite number of charge/discharge cycles. &nbsp;However, that seldom stays the case in the real world. &nbsp;Multiple factors can affect the service life of supercapacitors. For example, supercapacitors can be damaged when exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. They can also be damaged if the voltage surpasses the maximum limit for an extended period of time. Supercapacitors have a much longer service life than batteries do, but that does not mean they will last forever.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ5MTc5OTIyNDk4LVNjcmVlbiBTaG90IDIwMjItMDQtMDUgYXQgMS4zMS41MCBQTS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 601px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> </div><div data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure> </figure></div></div>Don&rsquo;t supercapacitors take up a lot of space on a circuit board?This is true for traditional supercapacitors. However, our Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is different! The thin, wire-like design makes the supercapacitor pliable, allowing it to be fit into mechanical arrangements and wiring infrastructure where other supercapacitors would not be able to fit. The bodies of other supercapacitors require the use of the surface area on the printed circuit board, but the CBC&rsquo;s flexible body makes it capable of being integrated off the board so that the space can be used to add more features or removed entirely to allow the system to be miniaturized further. CBC&rsquo;s can become part of the power supply harness, be bent and formed in ways that work within the structure of a device, or even miniaturize a product by being placed around a circuit rather than forced to be placed on the surface. Will short-circuiting CBC&rsquo;s destroy them?Our CBC&rsquo;s have a very low internal resistance, which makes them less likely to experience internal heating and take damage as a result of a short circuit. When batteries short circuit, the heating causes them to melt their cell separators or change their chemistry. This can lead to massive discharges or draining of the cells and ruin the battery. If a CBC were to short, it would simply discharge quickly.

Energy storage is a vague term. Here, we go through common questions people have about supercapacitors. Topics range from how batteries compare to supercapacitors, what energy density is, what power density is, and how supercapacitors are unique in both their construction and their application. 

Supercapacitor FAQ

Which is better? A battery or a supercapacitor? It seems like there has been a war over which technology is better. In reality, batteries and supercapacitors are designed for different functions. There are times when there is a clearly superior choice between batteries and supercapacitors. Other times times it is less clear which one is more beneficial. The choice does not have to be a binary one. In fact, an ideal energy storage system should feature both high energy batteries and high power supercapacitors.&nbsp;Why is that? How can batteries and supercapacitors be used at the same time? First, let&rsquo;s discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both of these energy storage technologies. <h2 id="isPasted">Batteries vs Supercapacitors</h2>The two parameters that are of the most interest are specific energy and specific power. Specific energy refers to the ability to store large amounts of energy and deliver that energy over a long period of time. &nbsp;Specific power describes the loading capability, which refers to how quickly the energy storage technology can deliver energy to a device, load, or system. A good way to visualize the difference between these two parameters is to imagine the energy source as a barrel with water inside and a hole that lets the water flow out. The size of the barrel determines how much water can be stored; this is the specific energy. The size of the hole controls the amount of water that can flow out; this is the specific power.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2NzYwNTg2OTk5LUJhcnJlbHMrb2YrRW5lcmd5LlBORyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 604px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Batteries, both the single-use or rechargeable kind, have a very high specific energy. However, the tradeoff when using batteries, which excel at delivering energy over long periods of time, is that it will struggle to deliver energy quickly (it will have a low specific power). Even the revolutionary new solid state batteries being developed, which boast a specific energy rating twice that of conventional batteries, still have a low specific power rating. This is unfortunate since supplying energy in quick bursts is sometimes needed to accomplish tasks like leveling a load or providing the inrush current to turn on a motor. Having any battery do this can put additional stress on it, wasting its capacity and/or shortening its operating life. Therefore, it is far from practical to purposely design a system that requires a battery to be used like this. The current solution is to add additional batteries to over design the energy storage system so that the stress is shared by more batteries to reduce its impact. This is inefficient in terms of design and cost.&nbsp;Alternatively, supercapacitors have high specific powers and low specific energies. This means they are ideal for delivering quick bursts of energy, but they cannot store as much energy or deliver it for nearly as long as batteries can.&nbsp;The complementary characteristics of batteries and supercapacitors makes designing a system that combines them very advantageous. Energy storage systems that have batteries and supercapacitors working together fit very well with applications where loads fluctuate (electric mobility, renewable energy, and internet of things (IoT) among others).&nbsp;Before looking at the various applications, let&rsquo;s further compare batteries and supercapacitors:<table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td>Parameter</td><td>Battery</td><td>Supercapacitor</td></tr><tr><td>Service life</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Limited</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Very high</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Energy density</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">High</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Low</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Power density</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Low</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">High</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Charging time&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Long&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 33.3333%;">Short&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="isPasted">Applications for Hybrid Energy Storage Systems&nbsp;</h2>One important application in the IoT field is internet communications. Internet communications are carried out using energy efficient radio transmitters, and radio transmitters require a high current for short durations. As explained earlier, batteries are very good for supplying small currents for long periods of time. So supercapacitors would be preferable to use with these radio transmitters, since supercapacitors can supply large currents in short bursts. If you tried to use a battery for this purpose, it is possible to burn out the battery before its energy is actually depleted, which means you could be prematurely replacing your batteries. This could be avoided if supercapacitors were used, since it is their designed purpose.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/https:/www.capacitechenergy.com/blog/maximizing-iot-device-performance-operating-life" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learn More about Supercapacitors in IoT Applications</a>Supercapacitors are also being used more in public transportation systems and electric vehicle power supplies. For example, trams and trollies use supercapacitors to store energy to get them from station to station, recharging at each stop. Another example is the regenerative braking systems that some busses and cars use. The supercapacitors are used to store recycled energy from when the brakes are applied, thus increasing fuel efficiency. One challenge for regenerative braking systems is space in e-mobility platform such as scooters or electric bikes. The battery bank used in those e-mobility platforms is not large enough to capture the surge of power from a regenerative braking system, creating an opportunity for battery-supercapacitor hybrid energy storage systems.&nbsp;<h3><a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/blog/overcoming-supercapacitor-challenges" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learn More: Overcoming Supercapacitor Challenges </a></h3><h2 id="isPasted">So Why Not Both?</h2>One of the biggest complications of including both batteries and supercapacitors in the same design is the lack of physical space. Size and shape restrictions often force engineers to choose one quality over another and only use one energy device, rather than implementing both of them. This the main appeal of <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/capacitech/capacitech-cable-based-capacitor/" target="_blank">Capacitech&rsquo;s Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC)</a>. The increased flexibility of these supercapacitors can help integrate them into systems where conventional physical space may not be able to support additional devices. Being able to populate this unused, unconventional space would be a great strength for any design.As we mentioned earlier, the same regenerative braking system that busses and cars use can be scaled down to smaller electric vehicles like scooters or bikes. Since the supercapacitors can be formed into unusual shapes, they can be built into the structural elements of the bike or scooter in order to not sacrifice any battery capacity. This would maximize the performance of the vehicle and help protect the batteries to maximize their operating life. There are still more applications for flexible supercapacitors that could be discussed. Robots, exoskeletons, wearable electronics, prosthetics, and smart glasses can all benefit and be further optimized.Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/batteries-or-supercapacitors-why-not-both" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Batteries or Supercapacitors? Why Not Both?</a>Up until now, capacitors have not had the flexibility to be integrated into devices without having to give up energy capacity by removing batteries. Consequently, a choice between the two was often forced to be made. However, with the flexible supercapacitors, that doesn&rsquo;t have to be the choice anymore. Both batteries and supercapacitors can be an option. By taking advantage of the unused free space in the infrastructure of a device, flexible supercapacitors like the CBC can be integrated to complement batteries and optimize the whole energy storage system. <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ2NzYxNTQwMzkzLVNjcmVlbiBTaG90IDIwMjItMDMtMDggYXQgMTIuMjcuMzUgUE0ucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 647px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

How can we make energy storage systems even better? We already have long lasting energy storage systems and high power energy storage systems. An ideal energy storage system should feature both high energy and high power. We explore how to make that possible. 

Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage Systems

<div data-block-type="2" id="isPasted">IoT devices are becoming increasingly popular and are being applied in uniquely creative ways every day. With their appeal of open-source software, secure wireless data transfer, and endless capabilities of applications, their appeal is obvious.&nbsp;As technology progresses, low-power data harvesting applications are being explored further every day. However, a common issue encountered with IoT devices is the short operating life of the battery powering them.&nbsp;When using a battery-powered IoT device, it’s important to minimize the amount of required maintenance and maximize its operating life to avoid costly replacements. Batteries make this a challenge, given their short cycle life.&nbsp;Energy harvesting solutions, such as indoor solar cells, are growing in popularity, as is pairing supercapacitors with these energy harvesting technologies to significantly reduce the burden on the batteries.&nbsp;This is because supercapacitors excel at charging with very small levels of current, have a high cycle life, and can deliver large amounts of current in quick bursts to complement batteries. In certain applications, supercapacitors can even replace the batteries all together.In this article, we explore pros and cons of typical design choices for powering remote IoT devices. In the end, we identify ways to maximize performance and operating life, while maintaining the discrete design that IoT devices should have in smart city, industry 4.0, and agricultural applications.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Example IoT Scenario</h3></div><div data-aspect-ratio="66.53992395437263" data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure><div data-animation-role="image"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806538449-XSYEPEE6JH8IY2B4QCWD/Streetlight.jpeg" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806538449-XSYEPEE6JH8IY2B4QCWD/Streetlight.jpeg" data-image-dimensions="2784x1856" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="61ae340a6fdba17b0706ca4d" data-type="image" data-image-resolution="750w" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806538449-XSYEPEE6JH8IY2B4QCWD/Streetlight.jpeg?format=750w" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div></figure></div></div><div data-block-type="2">Let’s design an IoT device to monitor air temperature throughout a city. In this case, the city management wants IoT devices installed in select intersections throughout the city. The customer’s key requirements are:&nbsp;<ul data-rte-list="default"><li>No change / retrofit to any of city infrastructure&nbsp;</li><li>Added sensors and enclosures must be discrete and not an eyesore&nbsp;</li><li>Hourly temperature readings through the day and night</li><li>Data transmission every three hours via cellular network</li><li>Maintenance free, with a targeted 10-year operating life</li></ul>The system requires 3.3V and will feature three modes of operation: sleep, read, and transmit. The system will primarily operate in its sleep mode, where very little energy or power is required. Read mode will run for 60 seconds every hour, during which the sensor will record the temperature and store that data in memory. Finally, the system will transmit its data (the air temperature readings) for 0.5 seconds once every three hours to its receiver.&nbsp;</div><div data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure><div data-animation-role="image"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806328103-0993C6Y6MJM1NYAJ2OIK/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.58.12+AM.png" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806328103-0993C6Y6MJM1NYAJ2OIK/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.58.12+AM.png" data-image-dimensions="1710x204" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="61ae33389c05a406b8060459" data-type="image" data-image-resolution="2500w" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806328103-0993C6Y6MJM1NYAJ2OIK/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.58.12+AM.png?format=2500w" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div></figure></div></div><div data-block-type="2"> <h3>Design Choices&nbsp;</h3><h4>Battery:&nbsp;</h4>Using only a battery to power this design is the easiest way to go in terms of design simplicity, but it will not meet the customer’s requirements. Either the battery must be so large so that it stores enough energy to power the system for 10 years without maintenance or it will regularly require replacements of smaller batteries. The peak power requirement may require a smaller battery to discharge at a higher C rate, which may be harmful to the battery.&nbsp;PRO: Easy, simple design&nbsp;CON: Very large batteries needed or costly frequent replacements of smaller batteries&nbsp;Potential fix:&nbsp;Add solar cell energy harvesting to help support the battery during periods of sunlight&nbsp;&nbsp;<h4>Solar + Battery:&nbsp;</h4>A solar cell in this kind of design will reduce the burden of the battery by delivering power to the load, reducing the burden on the battery and may be able to recharge the battery during the system’s sleep mode. It is a step in the right direction but does not perfectly satisfy the customer’s requirements.&nbsp;If a large battery is used, it will recharge very slowly with the help of the solar cell. A solar cell could recharge a smaller battery faster, but that smaller battery would cycle faster, reducing the operating life. A battery may have a ~500 cycle life before significantly degrading in performance.&nbsp;If the battery is sized to provide 24 hours of operation on its own, it will likely need to be replaced every few years. Also, a smaller battery may be damaged during the high discharge rate seen in the transmit mode further shortening its life.&nbsp;If the battery is sized to provide 720 hours (approximately one month) of operation on its own, it may be too large to meet the discrete requirement set by the customer. It may also struggle to recharge with the small current provided by the solar cells. Even if the battery does meet the aesthetic requirements of the customer, a battery powering this device for one month and recharging by a solar cell will not meet the 10-year operating life requirement.PRO: Solar cell supports the battery during the day reducing the burden on the battery &nbsp;CON: Still not likely to meet either the aesthetic requirements or service life requirement&nbsp;Potential fix: Add supercapacitor to complement the system by recharging at small currents and powering transmit mode&nbsp;<h4>Solar + Supercapacitor:&nbsp;</h4>There are a few challenges batteries face in this kind of design.&nbsp;First, they struggle to charge with small current values from energy harvesting devices like a solar cell. Second, they have a short cycle life, making it riskier to use a smaller battery that can recharge faster with small current values. Third, they can be damaged by discharging at a high C rate, which means they are not well suited for the transmit mode of operation.&nbsp;A supercapacitor can solve these problems, but do not come without their own challenges.A supercapacitor features a high-power density, meaning it is well suited to charge with small currents and to respond to high power draws from the load (like the transmit mode). They also can be cycled hundreds of thousands of times without performance degradation, meeting the operating life requirements.&nbsp;The problems faced with supercapacitors, is that they cannot provide energy for long periods of time. While recharging quickly with morning light, a supercapacitor and solar cell will not power this system through the night. The only way to do this would be to add many supercapacitors to the design to increase the energy storage capacity, but this would increase cost and size of the system failing the customer’s requirements.&nbsp;PRO:&nbsp;Long service life, easy low current recharging, high power mode for transmitting data&nbsp;CON: Cannot power device at night, failing to meet customer requirement&nbsp;Potential Fix:&nbsp;Add a battery to power the system at night&nbsp; Solar + Battery + Supercapacitor:&nbsp;This hybrid design allows each component to do what it does best and what it is designed to do.&nbsp;Solar cells provide energy through the day to power the device and recharge energy storage systems.&nbsp;Supercapacitors act as a workhorse and handle peak power requirements for the system.Batteries provide energy through the night.&nbsp;With this approach, all the requirements set by the customer can be met. The one challenge will be the aesthetic requirement to be discrete. IoT products often have space constraints, making it difficult to find the space to use batteries and supercapacitors. There may only be space for one or the other without needing to make the design larger.&nbsp;Capacitech’s supercapacitor,<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/cable-based-capacitor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> the Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC)</a>, is a wire-like and flexible energy storage device. It is designed to help engineers add supercapacitors to their designs without being concerned about negative tradeoffs. Leveraging its form factor, the CBC offers engineers a placement advantage so that they can find space to add supercapacitors to their IoT designs by not being restricted to the printed circuit board where space is a premium.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Potential Design</h3></div><div data-aspect-ratio="140.3041825095057" data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure><div data-animation-role="image"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806568039-0N7RCNC0IX4XRPGMKUQT/TEMPERATURE+MONITER-2.png" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806568039-0N7RCNC0IX4XRPGMKUQT/TEMPERATURE+MONITER-2.png" data-image-dimensions="1728x2304" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="61ae3427856453159069fa35" data-type="image" data-image-resolution="1000w" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806568039-0N7RCNC0IX4XRPGMKUQT/TEMPERATURE+MONITER-2.png?format=1000w" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div></figure></div></div><div data-block-type="2">One option to build a solar-battery-supercapacitor hybrid design is to embed the air temperature monitor into a flexible package to be wrapped around a streetlamp where it is out of sight, out of mind using &nbsp;flexible solar cells, flexible CBCs, a narrow pouch style battery, and a skinny circuit board that is vertically aligned with the pole.&nbsp;From power management devices offered by Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, e-peas, and others, we know that they often require &lt;5V input from solar power and that passive components can be changed to select the charging voltage for the supercapacitor as well as the final output voltage to the load. For this scenario, a power management device will be calibrated to charge the CBCs to 4.5V, discharge them to 3.6V, and regulate the output voltage to be 3.3V.&nbsp;<h4>Selecting Components&nbsp;</h4>We will select PowerFilm’s MP3-37 flexible solar panel. In ideal conditions, the MP3-37 has:&nbsp;Harvesting Power:&nbsp;150mWOperating Voltage:&nbsp;3.0VCurrent:&nbsp;50mAAvg Open Circuit Voltage:&nbsp;4.1VMax Open Circuit Voltage:&nbsp;4.6VShort Circuit Current:&nbsp;63mA&nbsp;Two solar cells are connected in parallel to provide &lt;300mW of power to charge the CBCs and power the device in sleep mode. In this design, the solar cells provide power during the day, but since they do not provide enough power to operate the device in read mode or to meet the peak power requirements of 750mA for data transmission, the CBCs are used to complement the solar cells during the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;One cell of Capacitech’s CBC supercapacitor features:&nbsp;Capacitance:&nbsp;3FRated Voltage:&nbsp;1.6VRated Max Charge/Discharge Current:&nbsp;1.25A&nbsp;At 1.6V, a single CBC cell falls short of the required operating voltage. The energy harvesting power management circuit needs to charge the CBC to 4.5V. To create an arrangement that satisfies this condition, three units of CBCs are connected in series so that the rated voltage of the connected CBCs is greater than 4.5V.V = (1.6)*(number of cells in series)V = (1.6)*(3) = 4.8VAnd the equivalent capacitance of three CBCs in series is:</div><div data-aspect-ratio="45.98930481283423" data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure><div data-animation-role="image"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806399415-U2G2C1JQR7H0LA37EKUA/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.59.10+AM.png" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806399415-U2G2C1JQR7H0LA37EKUA/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.59.10+AM.png" data-image-dimensions="600x312" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="61ae337f8fd94225a116277c" data-type="image" data-image-resolution="1500w" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806399415-U2G2C1JQR7H0LA37EKUA/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+10.59.10+AM.png?format=1500w" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div></figure></div></div><div data-block-type="2">The power management device will charge the CBC to 4.5V and limit its discharge to 3.6V. So the energy stored in the CBCs is:&nbsp;</div><div data-aspect-ratio="71.75925925925925" data-block-type="5"><div data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"><figure><div data-animation-role="image"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806428108-8KKTUA9X5UZKN21DSC7C/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+11.00.18+AM.png" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806428108-8KKTUA9X5UZKN21DSC7C/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+11.00.18+AM.png" data-image-dimensions="432x340" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="61ae339c856453159069d1ee" data-type="image" data-image-resolution="1000w" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecfb9dbef43d85f798d1b7f/1638806428108-8KKTUA9X5UZKN21DSC7C/Screen+Shot+2021-12-06+at+11.00.18+AM.png?format=1000w" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div></figure></div></div><div data-block-type="2">We can also calculate approximately how long a 1F supercapacitor charged to 4.5V can provide the 750mA required for the transmit mode for. &nbsp;If we consider that the transmit mode draws 2.475W for 0.5 seconds, then it requires approximately 0.353mWh. Thus, three CBCs connected in series featuring a 1F and 4.8V rating, is sufficient to power the data transmission. The CBC supercapacitors here are used to complement the solar cells during the day and protect the battery from damaging high discharge rates. Also, this configuration of CBCs will allow them to charge quickly, even during low light time periods (sunrise, sunset, or under shade). <h3>Conclusion&nbsp;</h3>This scenario illustrated the benefits of integrated energy harvesting with power management circuits and highlighted the effectiveness of the CBC in the system. This conceptual design would be able to:<ul data-rte-list="default"><li>Leverage energy harvesting technology&nbsp;</li><li>Meet peak power requirements for data transmission&nbsp;</li><li>Pair batteries and supercapacitors as an energy storage system&nbsp;</li><li>Use CBC flexible supercapacitors that can be wrapped around a pole&nbsp;</li><li>Reduce the burden on the battery when light is available, so that operating life requirements are met&nbsp;</li></ul>There is an abundance of other scenarios that could benefit from these systems, and the CBC can prove to be invaluable in making them effective and lasting. There are multiple iterations available to optimize various aspects of this design. This is simply an exploration on how an IoT device can be developed. We would love to hear about your battery powered IoT plans and how we can help you achieve your design goals!</div>

A guide to leverage energy harvesting technology, meet peak power requirements for data transmission, and pairing batteries with supercapacitors as an energy storage system.

Maximizing IoT Device Performance & Operating Life

With unit shipments reaching almost half a billion last year and year-on-year market growth of 28.4%[1] wearable technology sector has tremendous potential.&nbsp;Buoyed by the rise of 5G technology, which is ushering in a new era of connected devices, the market has matured from consumer items such as smartwatches and body cameras to workplace products such as exoskeletons[2] and smart glasses, which can be used to carry out industrial inspection and repair tasks at remote locations to transmit health data between medical professionals.The wearable tech sector is fast becoming a major pillar of modern society - amplified by the events of the past 18 months. An increased interest in health monitoring and remote working, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to drive this growth still further this year, with estimated global spends of $81.5 billion, an 18.1% increase from 2020[3]. Although data shows the industry is here to stay, difficult obstacles must be overcome for it to fulfill its potential.<h2 dir="ltr">Challenges with wearable tech&nbsp;</h2>While the wireless technology which allows for this new era of wearables as components of the Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving at breakneck speed, there are critical challenges that risk holding back the development of wearable tech.&nbsp;The first challenge is designing items for comfort and wearability around electronic components which were never conceived of with this application in mind. By its nature, wearable technology should be small and form a seamless part of an existing outfit or uniform. If it is too bulky or intrusive, the tech risks undermining the task for which it was designed to assist. Building electronic devices has never required thinkng this way before. Because of this, designs often include solid and inflexible components.&nbsp;Designing wearables is very much constrained by the extent to which the electrical components inside them can be positioned and shaped together. Along with the design issues, another challenge in wearables technology is power consumption. IoT wearables rely on short bursts of peak power to collect and transmit data. Standard coin cell batteries can have trouble providing the required levels of power to facilitate these peaks.[4]&nbsp;The tasks which workplace wearables are required to perform mean they can not be powered effectively in the same way a consumer wearable can. While something like an Apple Watch will have a fairly consistent power drain, a workplace wearable will have more wireless updates which will be sending data pings. This puts a significant drain on internal power resources.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI2NzY5NDQ1NDc3LXdlYXJhYmxlcy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="White bearded man wearing google glass examining a cluster of wires. ">Workplace wearables such as smart glasses have a different power consumption profile than consumer products such as Fitbits.&nbsp;</div>The ramifications of this in an industrial setting are potentially severe. A vital piece of wearable technology that loses functionality during a remote inspection or operation where it can not be easily recharged or the battery replaced could have implications for safety and cost.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Addressing the problem&nbsp;</h2>The wearable sector has turned to alternative ways of generating power beyond traditional batteries to solve the power issue. This includes techniques such as micro-magneto-electric, thermoelectric, piezoelectric, and photoelectric harvesting methods.[5]&nbsp;While solar energy is considered a viable source of alternative power, this type of technology limits the use of solar-dependent wearables to locales where sunlight is prevalent -- not to mention that the wearable must be worn so as to not be covered up by equipment or uniforms. That creates practical limitations for day-to-day use.&nbsp;One viable solution is to combine these harvesting methods, but any energy produced still has to be stored somewhere.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Supercapacitors as a solution&nbsp;</h2>A game-changer for the wearable sector is supercapacitors. Often referred to as ultracapacitors, they store energy like a battery but with significant and superior differences. Rather than store energy chemically, a supercapacitor stores it through charge separation and discharges energy in short but intense bursts, rather than discharging a smaller amount of power over a longer period. This makes supercapacitors more suited to sustaining the bursts of energy needed for IoT functionality.&nbsp;Crucially, supercapacitors can also be charged and discharged more quickly than a traditional battery and can withstand more charge/discharge cycles during their lifespans.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Challenges with supercapacitors&nbsp;</h2>While supercapacitors have significant advantages over batteries in terms of storing and discharge power, they have drawbacks that can impact their usability in wearable tech. Due to their construction, they are hard and brittle, limiting the forms they can be shaped into. As previously mentioned, one of the challenges of designing wearables is the practicality of making them flexible, comfortable, and wearable in existing uniforms and equipment &ndash; an inflexible and brittle supercapacitor, therefore, will not facilitate the ease of design and construction necessary to overcome this challenge.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Flexible supercapacitors from Capacitech</h2>The ideal scenario is to build a supercapacitor with all the technical advantages of power storage and usage but is flexible enough to be built into wearable technology. This is the problem flexible capacitors from <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Capacitech Energy</a> solve.&nbsp;The company&rsquo;s Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is a flexible and wire-shaped supercapacitor featuring ~3F of capacitance rated to 1.6V[6]. It is flexible, wire-shaped, and can be used inside wearable belts, necklaces, and safety straps for glasses or headphones, among other places such as a product or <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/wire-shaped-flexible-capacitors-deliver-innovation-by-freeing-size-and-location-restrictions-" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">system&rsquo;s wiring infrastructure itself.</a><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI2NzY5ODgzNjEzLWNiYy5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Five flexible supercapacitors. ">Flexible CBC&#39;s. Image credit: Capacitech.</div><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/introduction-to-cable-based-capacitors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">These capacitors</a> quickly charge and discharge as needed and can be built into the wearable technology itself because of their flexibility. This solves the dual challenges of providing power for the next generation of IoT wearables and having a flexible design to keep wearables practical, comfortable, and retain the ability to perform their tasks. In addition to practical applications, there are also environmental and economic benefits when considering the costs of running multiple wearable devices as part of a wider IoT ecosystem.&nbsp;<div id="isPasted"><div>Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/battery-supercapacitor-hybrid-energy-storage-systems" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage Systems</a></div></div>A single battery may need to be replaced roughly every 2.5 years, so with an IoT system of 500 devices, pairing a CBC with an energy harvesting device could<a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.keysight.com/us/en/assets/7018-06297/infographics/5992-3259.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;save approximately $15,500</a> over the course of a decade.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>The wearable technology market is expanding and is becoming a vital component of the IoT landscape. But despite the desire of both consumers and industry to embrace the technology, it is hamstrung by the limitations of existing power sources and the need to retain flexibility which enables practical wearable designs.&nbsp;Capacitech Energy&rsquo;s<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/flexible-supercapacitors-unlock-new-opportunities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Cable-Based Capacitor</a> solves both problems. It addressed power issues by discharging energy at the peaks necessary to enable IoT functionality. It also overcomes the design issue by not having the hardness and brittleness of other supercapacitors which make their practical application in the design and manufacture process of wearables infinitely more difficult. Thanks to its unique features, the CBC can power IoT-enabled wearables, while becoming a seamless and unobtrusive part of their design.<h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>1. <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/437871/wearables-worldwide-shipments/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.statista.com/statistics/437871/wearables-worldwide-shipments/</a>2. <a href="https://www.therobotreport.com/industrial-exoskeletons/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.therobotreport.com/industrial-exoskeletons/</a>3. <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/how-flexible-supercapacitor-technology-will-revolutionize-the-wearables-industry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-01-11-gartner-forecasts-global-spending-on-wearable-devices-to-total-81-5-billion-in-2021</a>4. <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.cap-xx.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheets/AB1004-Supercapacitors-Provide-Battery-Support.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.cap-xx.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheets/AB1004-Supercapacitors-Provide-Battery-Support.pdf</a>5. <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9058658" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9058658</a>6. <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/internet-of-things" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.capacitechenergy.com/internet-of-things</a>

Flexible and discrete solutions to power storage and delivery.

How flexible supercapacitor technology will revolutionize the wearables industry

Affordable, high-range, efficient electric vehicles are one of the most anticipated technologies of the century. Power storage is arguably the most critical component of an electric vehicle and holds the biggest potential to make electric vehicles supersede internal combustion engine cars. Most limitations of single-source electric vehicles (one without a&nbsp;secondary source of propulsion)&nbsp;are caused by issues with power storage. To cover flaws caused by the main power source, an ancillary source is added to turn the vehicle into a dual- or multi-source system, or systems to make them more independent and reliable.Adding supercapacitors, also often referred to as ultracapacitors, is the solution most frequently explored to overcome battery storage issues. In this article, we’ll explore the role of supercapacitors in battery electric vehicles and look at how a flexible supercapacitor can enhance the performance and design of electric vehicles.<h1 dir="ltr">The problem with storage&nbsp;</h1>There are three main components of an electric vehicle: an electric motor, a power storage system, and a controller. The electric motor is the actuator that moves the vehicle by supplying forces to move the wheels and as generators for regenerative braking. While the controller manages how much power is needed to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle and communicates with both the motor and the power storage system. However, the factor that deeply influences the performance and price of an electric vehicle is its power storage units. Most battery electric vehicles, available on the market, use lithium-ion batteries which have great properties such as&nbsp;low self-discharge rate, no memory effect, and a slow loss of charge when not in use. Despite their dominance,&nbsp;there are still some issues to solve for this technology to reach a balance of efficiency, economy, and reliability.For one, li-ion batteries are easily affected by high temperature, causing loss of range and efficiency. The batteries also decrease in performance over time, caused by a multitude of factors, such as peak usage, overcharging, and properties of the current electroactive materials. The style of driving also affects the lifetime of the battery life in your electric vehicle, as the acceleration and deceleration of your vehicle, as well as unexpected driving conditions can wear the battery.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Power storage support</h2>To protect batteries from power fluctuations and other weaknesses, electric vehicles need additional power storage systems. The most frequently explored addition to an EV’s power storage system is a supercapacitor. <a href="https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/whats_the_role_of_the_supercapacitor" target="_blank">Supercapacitors</a> are power storage devices that leverage both the electrostatic and electrochemical principles used by batteries and capacitors to store energy. They can charge and discharge energy very quickly and are becoming increasingly important to meet the battery storage challenges presented by electric vehicles.Supercapacitors have a much higher capacitance than conventional capacitors and come in a variety of sizes from 0.1F to over 1000F. Their low internal resistance and high power density, enable them to be able to charge and discharge as well as have a nearly instantaneous ability to absorb and deliver power.&nbsp;But a&nbsp;supercapacitor’s role in an electric vehicle can go beyond a backup power supply. Unlike batteries, the energy in supercapacitors is partially stored as a static charge, leading to a high power density that batteries lack. While batteries are perfect for a slow discharge over time, rapid bursts of power easily damage the chemical elements and reduce their performance. The high power density of a supercapacitor allows it to rapidly charge or discharge a high amount of power without damaging its ability to store energy. This makes supercapacitors favorable in facilitating scenarios where you need to supply or capture a lot of power in a short time, such as acceleration and regenerative braking, where supercapacitors capture the kinetic energy from deceleration that is usually dissipated into heat. For this reason, supercapacitors are often used on hybrid vehicles, such as the Lamborghini Sian and Toyota FCHV.On the other hand, supercapacitors have a lower energy density than batteries, so most can’t support pure electric vehicles on their own. They also have a higher self-discharge rate than batteries, making them unsuitable for long-term storage.Rather than solely using batteries or supercapacitors, the combination of supercapacitors and batteries is being increasingly explored by researchers to improve the driving range and battery lifetime of battery electric vehicles. The combination of two energy storage options, in this case, battery and supercapacitor, is referred to as a hybrid energy storage system (HESS). The coupling between battery and supercapacitors makes the system more robust as they cover each other’s weaknesses. Supercapacitors protect batteries from power fluctuations and lead to a longer lifespan while the batteries can provide long-term storage for the energy needed by EVs.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIxNTA5NzQxNzY4LUhlc3MgMi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Illustration showing a layout of a HESS system.">Figure 1: The configuration for a battery-supercapacitor HESS system.However, there are still some drawbacks to adding supercapacitors. The biggest concern is the limited space available. For most electric vehicles, due to their weight, the power storage system needs to be placed below the vehicle, with supercapacitors crammed in with bulky battery packs. Designers therefore must make the difficult decision between efficiency, space, and weight. Adding supercapacitors means longer operating life of batteries, protected from power fluctuation, and therefore delivering higher efficiency but it also means significantly reduced design flexibility which results in awkward interior design or using fewer batteries, which means shorter range.<h2 dir="ltr">An innovative approach to supercapacitors</h2>Over the years, supercapacitor design has improved dramatically. The improvements come from include trying on different materials and shapes for both the surface of the conductor plate and the electrolyte used to improve the power density. However, these improvements don't solve the problem in EVs, where designers still have to sacrifice the functionalities and performance of their EVs to fit in a supercapacitor. There is a need to balance the right amount of battery packs and supercapacitors to attain the most efficient power usage.<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/" target="_blank">Capacitech Energy,</a> an Orlando-based company, has developed a wire-shaped supercapacitor, known as a cable-based capacitor (CBC) which endeavors to solve many of the space and design problems associated with traditional supercapacitors. CBC’s are wire-shaped power storage devices with supercapacitor performances that can be integrated into wiring infrastructure, freeing supercapacitors from circuit boards. This flexible supercapacitor offers the opportunity to sneak supercapacitors into the wiring harnesses, which are aplenty in electric vehicles, for the creation of agile and efficient HESS systems. <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIxNTEwODk2OTQxLWhhcm5lc3MucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The wiring harness of a Bentley Bentayga. Increasing the flexibility of the design and decreasing the weight of the wiring harness will be a key challenge to overcome to improve the efficiency of electric vehicles.&nbsp; Supporting battery performance using CBC’s as part of a vehicle’s wiring harness also means that the power source can be closer to the load and minimizes the noise and loss of energy during the transfer. This improves power quality which is critical for increasing use of connected sensors within vehicles. A better power quality also helps to regulate energy for other applications of supercapacitors in vehicles, such as infotainment centers, connected sensors, and switching power supplies. For regenerative braking, this also means more efficient power storage, as the supercapacitor can now be closer to the generator. CBC’s have also been shown to reduce EMF / EMI in wiring harnesses.<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>Power storage is one of the most important and costly components of an electric vehicle. Coupling batteries with supercapacitors, often referred to as hybrid energy storage system (HESS), may provide some of the solutions to the challenges facing Lithium-ion batteries. Flexible supercapacitors could be the ingredient missing in these systems.&nbsp;Complete information on Capacitech product specs, as well as ordering and delivery, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Capacitech site</a>. <h2 dir="ltr">References and Further Reading</h2>Horn, Michael, et al. “Supercapacitors: A New Source of Power for Electric Cars?”&nbsp;Economic Analysis and Policy, vol. 61, 2019, pp. 93–103., doi:10.1016/j.eap.2018.08.003.Meyer, Richard T., et al. “Hybrid Model Predictive Power Management of a Battery-Supercapacitor Electric Vehicle.”&nbsp;Asian Journal of Control, vol. 18, no. 1, 2015, pp. 150–165., doi:10.1002/asjc.1259.Poonam, et al. “Review of Supercapacitors: Materials and Devices.”&nbsp;Journal of Energy Storage, vol. 21, 2019, pp. 801–825., doi:10.1016/j.est.2019.01.010.Simon, P., et al. “Where Do Batteries End and Supercapacitors Begin?” Science, vol. 343, no. 6176, 2014, pp. 1210–1211., doi:10.1126/science.1249625.&nbsp;

Wire-shaped capacitors offer the opportunity to boost power storage and improve power quality without sacrificing range or cargo space.

How to hide supercapacitors in electric vehicles

The Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is Capacitech’s proprietary wire-shaped supercapacitor optimized for space to miniaturize electronics and complement batteries. The CBC’s unique form factor offers aesthetic and space saving advantages compared to existing supercapacitors on the market.&nbsp;The CBC is ideal for applications such as Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, emergency lighting, renewable energy systems, uninterruptible backup power supplies and energy harvesting. The CBC’s form factor allows it to be used where no supercapacitor has gone before, off the printed circuit board (PCB) and integrated into other parts of a product or system, such as inside a wiring harness.&nbsp;The CBC can also be installed on a PCB and routed through areas where space is available or bent to fit inside a small enclosure. The CBC’s high-power density can complement existing energy storage products and energy harvesting modules by providing peak-power support. Each CBC cell is rated to 1.6V (surge of 2V) and a capacitance of 3F.&nbsp;Individual units of the CBC can be connected in parallel or series to meet voltage and power requirements. While traditional supercapacitors are rigid and restricted to use on a PCB, the CBC is leveraging its flexible and wire-like form factor to build a discrete and distributed network of energy storage throughout the world’s infrastructure; inside of wiring harnesses, power cords, shoes and other wearables, electronics enclosures and more.&nbsp;The CBC technology gives design engineers more space, opportunity to add new features, and design flexibility to meet their customers’ needs by offsetting supercapacitors from the PCB or adding additional energy storage capability in parts of a product or system that was previously impossible.

The Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is Capacitech’s proprietary wire-shaped supercapacitor optimized for space to miniaturize electronics and complement batteries.

Introduction to Cable-Based Capacitors

The pace and scope of technological innovations today is very exciting. Computers, cameras and even cars double their performance approximately every two years. This is thanks to the rapid advancements of semiconductor technologies, which change so rapidly, a whole new world is created every decade or so.One impediment to bringing new products and technologies to market has been the alarming lack of innovation in energy storage technologies. &nbsp;Progress for energy storage technologies like batteries and supercapacitors lag woefully behind the breathtaking rate of change in semiconductor technologies.This is all about to change. But first a very brief history of capacitors.<h2 dir="ltr">History of Capacitors&nbsp;</h2>Flashback to 1746. &nbsp;A capacitor is a device that stores an electric charge. This was first demonstrated by the Leyden Jar, invented by Ewald Jurgen von Kleist at the University of Leyden in Holland. The Leyden Jar is a glass jar wrapped with one piece of metal foil on the outside and another, separate piece of metal foil on the inside. When the foil was connected to an electricity source and then disconnected, scientists noticed that the jar would store the charge even after the source was disconnected. &nbsp;This means you could save electricity after it was generated for later use.While there was not much use for such a device at the time, besides storing the electricity collected from Benjamin Franklin’s kite-flying experiment, this was the origin of the function of capacitors. It was not until the 1830s when Michael Faraday started to experiment with the materials that go inside the capacitor’s plates to study the impact of its energy storage capability.With the exception of supercapacitors, the capacitors we still used today were invented in the early 1900s. Different technologies allowed for different power density, peak voltage and frequency characteristic. &nbsp;This lead to the development of ceramic, aluminum electrolytic, tantalum, polymer, &nbsp;and eventually supercapacitors (Figure 1).<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1618818095245-capacitech1.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 1. Mapping of capacitors technologies Image: Charcroft.<h2 class="fr-img-space-wrap2">Introduction to Supercapacitors</h2>Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electric double layer capacitor (EDLC), leverage two energy storage mechanisms. The first, like all capacitors, is the electric field. The second is from energy storage materials and chemistry placed between the plates, inside the electric field. Supercapacitors come in a variety of sizes from 0.1F to over 1000F, which is a significant amount of energy storage in the realm of capacitors. The synergy of the electric field and energy storage chemistry enables supercapacitors to charge and discharge a lot of energy very quickly. These energy storage materials have become a focus area for researchers.The ability to charge and discharge a lot of energy very quickly secures supercapacitors’ place in the future, being critical to the mainstream adoption of a variety of technologies enabling Cleantech, Wearables, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications among others. The ability to charge and discharge quickly points to supercapacitor’s low internal resistance and high-power density, its chief characteristic. In addition to this nearly instantaneous ability to absorb and deliver power, supercapacitors have a very long cycle life. These features make them ideal for applications where short bursts of power are needed. Common examples include providing peak power to complement a battery or turning on a large electric motor, peak load leveling for high quality audio systems or power sensitive communication devices, backup power to telecom equipment or to give electronics enough time to safely shut down, and for collecting energy from intermittent sources such as indoor solar cells.&nbsp;Academic and industry leaders have largely focused on improving the energy storage materials that go inside of supercapacitors to increase their performance, specifically increasing energy and power density. This is important work but is not the only avenue for innovation to improve supercapacitors.&nbsp;Until now, supercapacitors have generally clung to the basic form all capacitors have come in for over 250 years. &nbsp;Supercapacitors today come in cylindrical or rectangular shapes that are installed on circuit boards, where space is highly valuable. While it is important to improve the materials and chemistries that supercapacitors rely on, form factor improvements so that supercapacitors can be used in places less restrictive than circuit boards is important too.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">The Opportunity in Changing the Shape of Supercapacitors &nbsp;</h2>What engineers need are supercapacitors that are as flexible as a wire, allowing for energy storage in unexpected places — such as inside of wiring harnesses, power cords, and wearables. <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Capacitech Energy</a> is a high-tech energy storage company that is freeing supercapacitor technologies from their restriction to two-dimensional circuit boards. Capacitech is reimagining energy storage systems by innovating the shape that energy storage products, like supercapacitors, come in. &nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Capacitech’s Flexible Supercapacitor Innovation&nbsp;</h3>Capacitech’s Cable-Based Capacitor (CBC) is a radically new, flexible, and wire-like supercapacitor optimized for space to help miniaturize electronics and complement power sources lacking peak-power capability such as batteries and energy harvesting devices. The CBC gives designers more space, opportunity to add new features, and design flexibility to meet their customers’ needs.Many circuits have a working voltage above that of a single supercapacitor, which is typically 2.7 volts. This requires supercapacitors to be stacked into a bank, which takes up significant space in the system or on the circuit board. This is the case for most high-value supercapacitor applications, like renewables and electric vehicles. In these kinds of applications, a lot of supercapacitors are required to be connected in series and parallel, which leads to negative engineering tradeoffs like:&nbsp;1. Increasing bulk2. Removing features&nbsp;3. Sacrificing performance&nbsp;Capacitech’s innovative CBC leverages its physically flexible form factor to eliminate the need to make these painful tradeoffs. This is because, like no supercapacitor before it, the CBC can be routed through areas where space is available on the circuit board or placed off the circuit board and integrated into other parts of the product or system’s infrastructure instead. &nbsp;<h3>Internet of Things Use Case</h3>One attractive use case for this wire-like supercapacitor is in <a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/internet-of-things" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the IoT space</a>. Limited by a low cycle life, battery powered IoT devices have a short service life. The cost of frequently replacing these batteries every 2-5 years is staggering. A technician can expect to spend 20% of their day changing batteries for a typical IoT installation. Energy harvesting technologies, such as a solar cell, on their own are extremely limited due to their low peak-power capability; however, they can be paired with a high-powered supercapacitor to serve as an alternative to batteries. This technique is growing in popularity, but also forces design substitutions to free up space on the IoT device’s PCB to make room for supercapacitors. Instead of using space on the PCB, the cable form factor can be connected with the wires coming from the energy harvesting device. Capacitech’s supercapacitor features 3F of capacitance, can be charged at low currents, and is capable of providing over 1A of current to the load. The result meets the power requirements of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LoRa, and even cellularly connected IoT devices. Economically, it could reduce the cost of ownership for the end user (by replacing costly batteries) by ~25% and returns ~33% of the space on the IoT device’s PCB to the design engineer for miniaturization or new features. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<h3>Can Wire-Like Supercapacitors Help Batteries?</h3>While both energy storage components, batteries and supercapacitors are optimized for different functions and designed to serve a different purpose. Supercapacitors are designed to deliver a lot of energy (which is power) quickly and respond to fluctuations in power. This ability is due to the supercapacitor’s high-power density. Batteries are designed to deliver a smaller, constant stream of energy over a long period of time. This ability is due to the battery’s high-energy density. A supercapacitor can deliver well over 10x the amount of power compared to a battery, while a battery can deliver well over 10x the amount of energy compared to a supercapacitor.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/energy-storage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Supercapacitors complement batteries</a> by protecting them from stress that comes from surge currents and power fluctuations. Batteries have greater energy density, but supercapacitors can meet peak power needs better. Thus, when the batteries and supercapacitors are combined, one discovers better performance in a smaller space. An ideal energy storage system should feature both batteries and supercapacitors. With Capacitech’s CBC, the supercapacitors can be integrated into the infrastructure of the product or system, rather than compete with batteries for space. This way, engineers and designers can pack the maximum level of high-power density and high-energy density energy storage components in their products.&nbsp;The CBC’s ability to integrate into wiring harness and to complement batteries makes it a perfect solution for both gas and electric powered automotive vehicles, as well as several applications in renewable energy systems. &nbsp;<h2>The Future Features Flexible &amp; Seamlessly Integrated Supercapacitors&nbsp;</h2>While the value added by supercapacitors is known and well documented, finding the physical space to add supercapacitors is another challenge to be overcome with form factor innovations. With the CBC, designers can build a discrete and distributed network of supercapacitors to help miniaturize electronics and complement batteries; whether that is integrating supercapacitors into the leads of an indoor solar cell for an Internet of Things application, the wiring harness of an electric vehicle, or the photovoltaic wiring of a solar farm.&nbsp;The CBC technology’s high-power density complements energy harvesting technologies and batteries, while offering unparalleled design flexibility and new placement options. Capacitech’s CBC is well positioned to integrate supercapacitors into the world’s infrastructure.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capacitechenergy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Capacitech Energy</a> is building a flexible future with its shape-shifting products helping engineers design the next generation of wearables, solar power systems, SmartCity electronics, electric vehicles and more. Taking the prospect of getting versatile energy storage into new places, Capacitech Energy, a game-changing team, paints a picture to the future you want to live in. Learn more about how Capacitech’s Cable-Based Capacitors will improve your next design.&nbsp;