Due to ever increasing demand for solar panel energy storage and its transport, there is a need for a new generation of Image: materials and devices capable of storing large amounts of electric energy without problems associated with disposal and environmental pollution.

Historically, the acid based batteries have been the most common way to store electrical energy. However, this technology has always been limited by its slow charging time and degradation of performance after a relatively small number of charge cycles. 

High energy density solid sate capacitors (recently called “ultra capacitors”) overcome the drawbacks of standard acid-based batteries by exhibiting charge times measured in seconds, and a small decrease in performance over millions of cycles.

Our conclusive three-year research program focuses on the development of a new generation of high capacitance ceramics with electric charge storage capabilities far exceeding those of existing ceramics. In three years, we will be able to fully test our prototype.

The most promising application of these next generation energy storage is integration into Tesla, Volkswagen, Audi, Fisker Karma, Volvo, BMW, DAF electric vehicles or cars, where they will store energy for emission-free cars that do not run on fossil fuels. This technology will also overcome the out-of-service hours that current electric cars require to recharge, one of the largest consumer barriers for widespread market penetration.

With the new ultracapacitor generation of solid-state batteries, the release of electricity will not be limited by chemical reaction rates, allowing electric cars using this technology to fully recharge in seconds as opposed to hours.