- Forest-powered supercapacitors could replace batteries in IoT devices and sensors
- A Swedish startup uses a forest-based lignin polymer to replace toxic metals
- S-Power offers fast charging, a long lifespan of 8 to 10 years and other savings
Swedish startup Ligna Energy hopes its new S-Power technology can solve unsustainable demand for batteries as demand for indoor environmental sensors, wearable devices and other IoT terminals increases.
The company maintains that a growing number of these devices do not actually require built-in energy storage because they consume minimal power and can operate intermittently. Those that can harvest ambient energy, such as light, RF signals, vibrations, and temperature differences, could be among the best suited for this futuristic technology.
Ligna’s flagship S-Power 2S offers a 1.2F capacitance, 2.7V operating voltage, 0.5Ω equivalent series resistance and over 250,000 charge cycles, but most importantly, this ultra-thin, pouch-shaped cell is designed to be suitable for even the smallest cards and sensors.
IoT devices such as environmental sensors have increased demand for batteries
According to the company, its latest S-Power technology is not only small enough to fit in places where conventional batteries would be too large, but it can also charge much faster and survive many more cycles.
Perfect for products that are expected to be deployed for years without maintenance, Ligna believes this technology could save companies considerable money in the long run. While a sensor may only cost a couple of dollars, sending a technician to physically change a battery could cost hundreds in logistics, even though the battery itself is relatively cheap.
With large deployments in utility networks, factories, agricultural environments, smart cities, and more, the savings realized could be enormous.
The main differences lie in how supercapacitors store energy compared to conventional batteries: electrostatically, rather than chemically. It makes supercapacitors like the S-Power 2S better for periodic short bursts of power, which in turn leads to much slower degradation and extremely long lifespan.
Natural polymers are enabling extreme ‘battery’ performance: will supercapacitors replace batteries?
Ligna’s technology is based on materials derived from forests, rather than metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, which are considered more sustainable and less toxic to the environment. Lignin derived from trees and plants is the core material here, said to be the second most abundant natural polymer on Earth after cellulose and responsible for the way trees stand upright. It is also available as a byproduct of industries such as paper manufacturing.
“It is a conventional supercapacitor in terms of electrical performance, but we have tried to optimize the material stack to eliminate some unpleasant materials and offer a different alternative to our customers,” explained CEO John Söderström.
At the same time, research into energy harvesting technologies could align with these next-generation supercapacitors to further reduce the frequency of charging or replacement.
By harvesting energy from indoor light, solar energy, radio, vibrations and heat exchanges, the energy entering the supercapacitor could dramatically improve service life.
“When I started at Ligna five years ago, energy harvesting was not widespread in wireless electronics,” Söderström added. “What has happened since then is that light harvesters have increased their efficiency to the point that the batteries can be removed even in low light conditions.”
However, Ligna calls for a major industry-wide restructuring, noting that each component must be optimized for the lowest quiescent current possible. What this means for the future is likely a new category of products, rather than supercapacitors that can be retrofitted into existing hardware.
The company is now targeting a lifespan of eight to 10 years for its ultrathin supercapacitors, on track for mass production, although not necessarily at the same price as “some Chinese competitors.”
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