Periodic Reporting for period 2 - X-CAP (Metal oXide high energy Capacitors)
Reporting period: 2021-08-01 to 2022-12-31
The problem we address
The struggle to reduce overall carbon emissions and the electrification of stationary and mobile applications has increased the need for energy storage technologies such as fuel cells (FCs), Lithium Ion batteries (LIBs) and Ultracapacitors. However, upon analyzing the qualities of these energy storage technologies, a clear techno-economical gap becomes evident which can be filled by an energy storage technology with low energy cost (<250 EUR/kWh), high power (>10 kW/kg) and medium energy density (>50 Wh/kg), as well as an operating temperature window of -40°C to +70°C.
Our impact for society
With this gap currently left unfilled, there are a range of applications in which electrification cannot be realized at reasonable consumer price ranges, introducing a significant market barrier for high GHG reduction impact. In LIB-X-Cap hybrid vehicles the size and power ratings for the main battery can be reduced, resulting in a significant cost-down for battery-electric vehicles s and thus bringing the electric vehicle solution to consumer segments which are unable to afford a state-of-the-art small electric vehicle, e.g. a Nissan Leaf.
Furthermore, an energy storage system able to fill this technological gap would be able to replace a century old technology still present today in every road-going vehicle: Lead Acid batteries (LAB). To the 2 million people involved in LAB recycling in 3rd world countries, the heavy metals contained in LABs are estimated to cost 2-4.5 million years of life each year. The recycling of X-Cap batteries would not involve working with toxic chemicals, as their recycling concept is similar to that of Ultracapacitors.
Our overall objectives
The X-CAP technology will, as a first-in-kind approach, directly address this gap of 15 min energy storage applications in the energy storage market. X-CAP is an energy storage device which fills the gap between high energy density technologies such as LIBs and high power density technologies such as Ultracapacitors while providing a much longer lifetime (>200,000 cycles) than LIBs themselves and being independent of critical resources or heavy metals.
Skeleton has proven that the concept of this energy storage technology can deliver the envisioned product characteristics and is now targeting product development to bring this innovation to the market. Within the proposed project, Skeleton aims to develop this technology from current TRL of 6 to TRL 8.
The struggle to reduce overall carbon emissions and the electrification of stationary and mobile applications has increased the need for energy storage technologies such as fuel cells (FCs), Lithium Ion batteries (LIBs) and Ultracapacitors. However, upon analyzing the qualities of these energy storage technologies, a clear techno-economical gap becomes evident which can be filled by an energy storage technology with low energy cost (<250 EUR/kWh), high power (>10 kW/kg) and medium energy density (>50 Wh/kg), as well as an operating temperature window of -40°C to +70°C.
Our impact for society
With this gap currently left unfilled, there are a range of applications in which electrification cannot be realized at reasonable consumer price ranges, introducing a significant market barrier for high GHG reduction impact. In LIB-X-Cap hybrid vehicles the size and power ratings for the main battery can be reduced, resulting in a significant cost-down for battery-electric vehicles s and thus bringing the electric vehicle solution to consumer segments which are unable to afford a state-of-the-art small electric vehicle, e.g. a Nissan Leaf.
Furthermore, an energy storage system able to fill this technological gap would be able to replace a century old technology still present today in every road-going vehicle: Lead Acid batteries (LAB). To the 2 million people involved in LAB recycling in 3rd world countries, the heavy metals contained in LABs are estimated to cost 2-4.5 million years of life each year. The recycling of X-Cap batteries would not involve working with toxic chemicals, as their recycling concept is similar to that of Ultracapacitors.
Our overall objectives
The X-CAP technology will, as a first-in-kind approach, directly address this gap of 15 min energy storage applications in the energy storage market. X-CAP is an energy storage device which fills the gap between high energy density technologies such as LIBs and high power density technologies such as Ultracapacitors while providing a much longer lifetime (>200,000 cycles) than LIBs themselves and being independent of critical resources or heavy metals.
Skeleton has proven that the concept of this energy storage technology can deliver the envisioned product characteristics and is now targeting product development to bring this innovation to the market. Within the proposed project, Skeleton aims to develop this technology from current TRL of 6 to TRL 8.
Within the scope of the EIC Accelerator grant project X-CAP (X-CAP - Metal oXide high energy Capacitors) a novel energy storage concept has been developed to create a device capable of delivering high power energy storage with increased storage capability beyond the theoretical limit of classical Ultracapacitors. This hybrid energy storage device is able to fill the significant technology gap between Ultracapacitors and Lithium-Ion batteries enabling more efficient and hence more cost-effective energy storage systems, especially for time domains of 1 to 15 mins, and in certain instances beyond 15 minutes where high power and fast charging is required. Skeleton's unique combination of materials allows for 100x faster charging compared to standard lithium-ion batteries while offering excellent safety. Based on the technological success in the X-CAP project, Skeleton Technologies is currently working on the product development together with customers taking the next step towards a widespread adoption of the technology and hence the exploitation of it in numerous hard-to-decarbonize industries, such as mining, heavy duty off-road transport. The technology will help to eliminate 40-50% of CO2 emissions in these sectors, while lowering the total cost of ownership for the machinery due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. The results of the X-CAP project have been disseminated in conferences (e.g. EEHE, BatteryWorld, Nanocarbon Annual Conference), industry fairs (Hannover Messe, Trakko Fair, etc.), and through the companies’ social media channels.
Progress beyond the state of the art
Ultracapacitors store energy through charge separation in the electrochemical double layer (EDL). Since the EDL only forms on the surface of the electrode material, the energy density of Ultracapacitors (or electrochemical double layer capacitors, EDLCs) is limited by the available surface area of the electrode material.
The innovation proposed in X-CAP overcomes this physical limitation of energy storage in Ultracapacitors and enabling more than 10 times increased energy storage compared to today’s available products by introducing redox-active components into the electrodes, which then can store more energy than could be achieved by classical double layer storage.
Skeleton has developed 2 main pathways for the integration of metal oxides into Ultracapacitor electrodes: Hybrid materials and composite materials. Both composite and hybrid materials are viable options for increasing an Ultracapacitor’s energy content beyond classic double layer barriers.
Expected results until the end of the project
The technology is identified to be at TRL6, as the successful coating on aluminum foil in a roll-to-toll process displays the readiness for roll-to-roll coating in a pilot environment and subsequent cell prototype manufacturing, using otherwise known and established materials and processes for separator, cell construction and electrolyte.
At the end of the project, the technology is expected to be at TRL 8.
Potential impacts (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)
Societal needs in industrial, grid and automotive sector have one common denominator: the cost of energy storage paired with fast charging capabilities and long lifetime.
The transition from fossil to renewable energies has its bottleneck in energy storage. Energy consumers expect unlimited, reliable energy, which is faced with challenges due to the volatility of renewable energy sources. Here, X-Caps can have significant positive impact on the nexus of social and economic behavior which affects the climate and the environment
In addition, the Großröhrsdorf facility where X-Cap will be developed and produced is located in a former coal mining region in East Germany, near the Czech boarder. Skeleton has chosen this site due to our commitment to further a just energy transition, not only in our technology, but in an effort to bring clean, safe, and permanent jobs to a region in transition.
Ultracapacitors store energy through charge separation in the electrochemical double layer (EDL). Since the EDL only forms on the surface of the electrode material, the energy density of Ultracapacitors (or electrochemical double layer capacitors, EDLCs) is limited by the available surface area of the electrode material.
The innovation proposed in X-CAP overcomes this physical limitation of energy storage in Ultracapacitors and enabling more than 10 times increased energy storage compared to today’s available products by introducing redox-active components into the electrodes, which then can store more energy than could be achieved by classical double layer storage.
Skeleton has developed 2 main pathways for the integration of metal oxides into Ultracapacitor electrodes: Hybrid materials and composite materials. Both composite and hybrid materials are viable options for increasing an Ultracapacitor’s energy content beyond classic double layer barriers.
Expected results until the end of the project
The technology is identified to be at TRL6, as the successful coating on aluminum foil in a roll-to-toll process displays the readiness for roll-to-roll coating in a pilot environment and subsequent cell prototype manufacturing, using otherwise known and established materials and processes for separator, cell construction and electrolyte.
At the end of the project, the technology is expected to be at TRL 8.
Potential impacts (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)
Societal needs in industrial, grid and automotive sector have one common denominator: the cost of energy storage paired with fast charging capabilities and long lifetime.
The transition from fossil to renewable energies has its bottleneck in energy storage. Energy consumers expect unlimited, reliable energy, which is faced with challenges due to the volatility of renewable energy sources. Here, X-Caps can have significant positive impact on the nexus of social and economic behavior which affects the climate and the environment
In addition, the Großröhrsdorf facility where X-Cap will be developed and produced is located in a former coal mining region in East Germany, near the Czech boarder. Skeleton has chosen this site due to our commitment to further a just energy transition, not only in our technology, but in an effort to bring clean, safe, and permanent jobs to a region in transition.