Ultracapacitors, or supercapacitors as they are also known, are an energy storage technology that offers high power density, almost instant charging and discharging, high reliability, and very long lifetimes.
Ultracapacitors have been in development for decades but the technology has developed rapidly in the recent years. This development has been driven by advances in nanomaterials - Skeleton Technologies' Curved Graphene is a prime example - the electrification of infrastructure and industry, and increased concerns around fuel efficiency and emissions in the automotive and transportation segments.
Ultracapacitors are now delivering significant economic benefits across a wide range of markets including automotive, grid & renewables, transportation and industrial applications.
Ultracapacitors have several advances over batteries: practically instant charging and discharging, efficient operation in extreme temperatures, extremely high power, high reliability, and safety.
The difference comes from the fact that ultracapacitors store energy in an electric field, rather than in a chemical reaction, like batteries. This is also the reason for the difference in lifetime - ultracapacitors work for 15+ years without maintenance.
Ultracapacitors have very little internal resistance (down to 0,12 mΩ), allowing them to work at close to 100% efficiency. They are also significantly lighter than batteries and generally don’t contain harmful chemicals or toxic metals.
Batteries and ultracapacitors are complementary technologies: batteries provide energy for the long term while ultracapacitors provide the fast reaction and high power. Together, ultracapacitors and batteries are the future of electrification.
The ideal applications for ultracapacitors are ones that require high power and constant cycling. A good example is for example KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems), where braking energy is stored and re-used for acceleration or lighting. Another great use case is power quality - even a tiny disturbance of a few microseconds in power quality can lead to tens of millions in damages without ultracapacitors to protect the equipment, infrastructure and grid with immediate response.
At the heart of our ultracapacitors' performance advantage is Skeleton’s nanotechnology research into our patented Curved Graphene. Curved graphene differs significantly from regular activated carbons, which are used by other ultracapacitor manufacturers.
Skeleton’s SkelCap ultracapacitor series is unique in the world of ultracapacitors. Protected by 11 patent families covering everything from the raw material to the synthesis and production processes, our cells provide up to four times higher power density compared to competition, as well as lower ESR, leading to much better application lifetime.
The strengths of the SkelCap ultracapacitors carry over to our SkelMod Modules, used across industries. Standard SkelMod modules come in 51V, 102V, and 170V, and of course we offer the SkelStart Engine Start Module for cranking large diesel engines. Get in touch to discuss custom modules.
Skeleton’s SkelGrid energy storage systems are used for example in power quality and industrial UPS applications. SkelGrid systems are complete solutions for pain points that many of our customers have experienced.
The use of Curved Graphene is one of the key factors in achieving the superior energy density of our ultracapacitors. SkelCap ultracapacitors have up to two times higher energy density compared to even the most advanced cells produced by our competitors.
Curved Graphene boasts electrical conductivity that is almost seven times better than that of regular activated carbons. As a result, the power density of SkelCap ultracapacitors exceeds competitors’ products by a factor of four.
The low internal resistance of our ultracapacitors results in significantly higher efficiency and up to five times less energy being lost as heat. This is also an advantage because cooling systems can be downsized or removed altogether.
Curved graphene has a high chemical purity, which gives it a significant reliability advantage over activated carbons. The special purification and post-treatment procedures applied to the materials used in SkelCap ultracapacitors result industry-leading lifetimes of 15+ years in many applications.
Our ISO 9001 and 14001 certified production facility in Grossröhrsdorf, Germany, is the most modern ultracapacitor factory in the world and largest of its kind in Europe. We are a qualified supplier to a number of large OEMs and Tier 1 companies around the world.
We have invested tens of millions of euros in our production facility to be able to manufacture the best ultracapacitors, modules, and energy storage systems in the world.
We have invested tens of millions of euros in our production facility to be able to manufacture the best ...
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Phone: +49 35952 416040
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01900 Großröhrsdorf
Registergericht (Registry Code): Dresden, HRB 32322
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