Maxwell Ultracapacitors: Enabling Energy’s Future

SAN DIEGO, Calif—February 11, 2022—A rapidly emerging and increasingly applied technology, ultracapacitors are capable of storing and discharging energy very quickly and effectively. Due to their many benefits, ultracapacitors are currently being utilized in thousands of different applications, and considered in an equally diverse range of future applications. Ultracapacitors complement a primary energy source that cannot repeatedly provide quick bursts of power, such as an internal combustion engine, fuel cell, or battery. The future horizon looks brilliant for ultracapacitors, which already rank as a powerful alternative energy resource.

Where Ultracapacitors Work

Harvest power from regenerative braking systems and release power to help hybrid buses accelerate.

Used in blade pitch systems and to help increase the reliability and stability of the energy grid.

Reliably crank semi-trucks in cold weather or when batteries are drained from repetitive starting or in-cab electric loads.

Capture energy and provide burst power to assist in lifting operations.

Provide cranking power and voltage stabilization in start/stop systems, backup and peak power for key automotive applications – and serve as energy storage in regenerative braking systems.

Provide energy to data centers between power failures and initiation of backup power systems, such as diesel generators or fuel cells.

Capture energy from regenerative braking systems and release power to assist in train acceleration, and used for vehicle power where overhead wiring systems are not available.

Provide energy storage for firming the output of renewable installations and increasing grid stability.

Open aircraft doors in the event of power failures.

How Ultracapacitors Work

PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCES like internal combustion engines, fuel cells and batteries work well as a continuous source of low power. However, they cannot efficiently handle peak power demands or recapture energy in today’s applications because they discharge and recharge slowly.

ULTRACAPACITORS deliver quick bursts of energy during peak power demands, then quickly store energy and capture excess power that is otherwise lost. They efficiently complement a primary energy source in today’s applications because they discharge and recharge quickly.