Let’s catch a few of the new people up to speed: I think almost everyone in this industry is waiting for the results of EEStor’s ultracapacitor claim.   EEStor is a secret little company in Texas and they filed UnitedStates Patent #7,033,406 that had six words that shook the energy industry: “technologies for replacement of electrochemical batteries”.  Replacement of the battery?!? Wow - That is a hefty claim… maybe a bit overdue, but a big claim.

So.. ZENN Motors out of Toronto, Canada bought the rights to the technology and will be using in their electric cars.  They will have a 250 mile range on a 5 minute charge (this will be longer if using a standard household plug - it is thought that it around 4 to 5 hours of charging time). ZENN has increased their retailers to 35 location and their sales are up over 130% from the prior year.  ZENN holds 3.8 percent of EEStor and has invested 2.5 million in the company. They also have the rights for car conversions using with EEStor’s technology when it is commercially available.

This website has had some awesome comments about EEStor in previous articles. Some pro and some con. I feel good about EEStor!  Some of EEstor's critics claim that what they write in their patent is simply wrong -they write that based on their own patent, they cannot store energy they claim.  Here is one comment that was posted here:

  * "Importantly, this is not a case wherein EEstor claims to have made some specific breakthrough regarding this issue. No such breakthrough is reported. There are no energy storage measurements, no permittivity versus field data, and no mention of eliminating or reducing dielectric saturation. Their patent and presentations indicate a complete lack of awareness (or lack of acknowledgment) of this issue. EEstor simply purports to make (or aspires to make) high K barium titanate based material, with a K of 18,000, and ultimately with an incredibly high breakdown strength of up to 300V/um. They then calculate the energy stored as ½ CV2 without comment on the use of this equation...

continued...

Ok.. this is an odd one..  

It looks like Yamaha is working on a new three wheel wearable trike. This new machine will be a cross between a motorcycle and a Segway. It really looks like something out of some futuristic movie. They call it the Yamaha "Deus Ex Machina" (which is Latin for "God out of a machine").

The "Deus Ex Machina" gets its energy from a power pack combination of nanophosphate batteries (same as hybrid cars now) and ultracapacitors. They are expecting it to go from zero to sixty acceleration in three seconds and a top speed of 75mph.

The exoskeleton has 36 pneumatic "muscles" with 2 linear actuators along a spine with seven artifical vertebrae that keeps the vehicle in control. The helmet is also attached to the top of the spine.

I guess we never know where ultracapacitors are going to show up next. This is interesting to see but I don’t expect it to be in production anytime soon.

You know... really... I can’t imagine myself in this contraption going 75 miles an hour... but I will leave that to you daredevils out there looking to make a name for yourselves!

1. High Efficiency - Ultracapacitors have a columbic efficiency that is greater than 99%.  So little is lost during charge/discharge.  Ultracaps have a low equivalent series resistance (ESR).which make them more efficient use of energy (less heating and less cooling for energy storage).
2. Temperature Range -  Ultracapacitors do not rely on chemical reactions like a battery - so they can operate at a wide range of temperatures.  Typically from 65 degrees Celsius to -40 degrees Celsius.  This means excellent cold performance as a perfect fit for engine starting.  When you put ultracaps with batteries, you can have a system that meets the energy requirements (battery) with the power requirements (ultracapacitor).  A good example is that you can use it to start your engine and power lights and your stereo when the engine is off.
3. High Current -  Since ultracapacitors are designed with very low equivalent series resistance (ESR) – they deliver and can absorb a high current.   They can be quickly charged making them great for regenerative braking situations (like capturing the energy of a train an other quick charge/ quick release scenarios).  There isn’t a battery made that can tolerate this charge/discharge rate.
4. Voltage Range - Since we are talking about capacitors, you are not confined to a narrow voltage range.  If you are a designer, you only need to look at the voltage range of your system which is much wider than the narrow voltage required by your battery.  With an ultracapacitor, to get a higher voltage, multiple cells are placed in a series which equate the total maximum voltage.  A great thing is that you never have to worry about over discharging an ultracapacitor.
5. Long  Life Cycle -   The energy storage of an ultracapacitor is a highly reversible process.   The process will move charge and ions only and does not make or break chemical bonds (like a battery).  This process allows for hundreds of thousands of charge/discharge cycles without minimal change in your performance.   This is perfect for something like a uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that may only charge/discharge fully a few times a year.  Or another example is a hybrid electric vehicle that may be cycled frequently.

Ultracaps don't have the memory effects like batteries that we have so become accustomed to.  An ultracapacitor will be smaller and maintain a much longer energy life while charging and discharging better than any lithium ion battery.  Higher current.. and higher efficiency.  

DID I SAY TOP 5???  I meant TOP 6!

   6.   Long Life-  Once again.. since there are no chemical reactions like in a battery, the energy storage of an ultracapacior is a highly stable process which is capable of many years of continuous performance.  Ultracapacitors can be installed for the life of the system not on a regular maintenance routine like a battery (costing time an money).  

Make it Green!

Greg

Over the past months, we have seen two ultracapacitor companies battling in court over patent infringement. It looks like they have come to a mutual understanding.

Several days ago, a press release announced that Maxwell Technologies and NessCap Co., Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to immediately halt all ongoing patent infringement litigation between the two companies. The exact framework and specifics of the settlement will remain confidential pending the final agreement and execution of definitive agreements.

I can't wait to see the specifics of the mutal agreement between the two companies.