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;

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Latest Posts

Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage Systems

Maximizing IoT Device Performance & Operating Life

How flexible supercapacitor technology will revolutionize the wearables industry

How to hide supercapacitors in electric vehicles

Introduction to Cable-Based Capacitors

Flexible Supercapacitors Unlock New Opportunities