Germany backs development of ultracapacitor production technology

The manufacturer of ultracapacitors has unveiled plans to develop a first-of-its-kind production technology for the manufacturing of its ultracapacitors, following the official support announced by German authorities in January. These plans include a fully-automated ultracapacitor production line in its Großröhrsdorf factory. The economies of scale provided by this new technology, combined with the use of Skeleton’s patented “curved graphene” material, is expected to dramatically drive the production costs down. “We are continuously investing in R&D – whether it is improving the performance of our products or the process in which we make those products. The next stage of our production will see an implementation of fully automated Industry 4.0 manufacturing techniques – a first-of-its-kind in the ultracapacitor industry. Coupled with our curved graphene material, we are able to dramatically decrease the cost of ultracapacitors. The ultracapacitor industry is in the same situation as lithium-ion batteries were in 1999, but our advancements in core technology and production capabilities will be able to show a cost reduction faster than for any other energy storage technology. We have a clear road map to lower it by almost 90% after completion of our 5 years project,” says Taavi Madiberk, CEO and co-founder of Skeleton Technologies, in a press release. Skeleton’s patented “curved graphene” provides its ultracapacitors with a competitive advantage in power and energy density. It allows to increase energy density nearly three-fold for the same cost. Skeleton’s new development plans will receive EUR 51 million in direct funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the Free State of Saxony under the “European Battery Innovation - EuBatIn” IPCEI framework. “With a projected annual volume of around EUR 250 billion by 2025, the European battery industry will play a key role in the continent’s economic recovery. The support through the new IPCEI will enable Skeleton to advance its market-leading ultracapacitor technology and contribute greatly in making Saxony an innovation hub for climate tech,” adds Christian Müller, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy in Germany, which is one of the drivers of the European Battery Alliance (EBA) and one of Skeleton’s investors. Under the EuBatIn IPCEI, eleven companies with sites in Germany will receive support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) for sustainability, development and innovation projects across the whole value chain. In addition to Skeleton Technologies, these companies are CI Systems, Alumina Systems, BMW, Cellforce Group, ElringKlinger, Liofit, Manz, Northvolt, SGL Carbon, and Tesla.