Higher Power - Supercapacitors

Capacitors store energy in the form of electrical charge, unlike batteries which store energy chemically. These have the benefit of not losing power during storage, and being able to deliver power and be recharged quickly. However they have limited reserves and are really only good for short bursts. Supercapacitors combine the advantages of both capacitors and rechargeable batteries by being able to store large amounts of energy. For example they are now being used in hybrid vehicles (such as the Prius pictured right) for “regenerative braking” which stores energy that would normally be lost as heat during braking. This stored energy can then be used by the electric motor when the vehicle starts moving again.

Nanotechnology has driven the development of supercapacitors through the production of novel nanomaterials with increased surface area. Such materials can accommodate much more charge than conventional materials, thus increasing energy density and power output many fold.