Estonian ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies raises funds to build “SuperBattery”

Tallinn-based Skeleton Technologies, a company that manufactures and develops high-energy and power-density ultracapacitors, announced on Monday that it secured fresh funding from Marubeni Corporation in June 2023.

The funding amount has not been disclosed.

Skeleton says it will use the funds to build a mass production factory for the next-generation storage “SuperBattery”.

What is SuperBattery?

SuperBattery is a technology that combines the advantages of batteries and supercapacitors.

It boasts 50,000 life cycles, a 100x quicker charging rate than lithium-ion batteries, and is cobalt, copper, and nickel free. Additionally, even when crushed, punctured, or overheated, it is far safer than Li-ion batteries.

Compared to conventional storage batteries, it also has a minimal environmental effect since it emits less CO2 throughout every stage of production and disposal.

With plans to begin operations in 2024, Skeleton is building a factory for mass-producing the SuperBattery. This is in response to the need to investigate new uses and replace lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries.

SuperBattery was created to meet the demands of several industries, and it is now being tested and/or deployed in hybrid and fuel cell EVs, buses, trucks, and charging infrastructure.

SuperBatteries can reduce CO2 emissions in hard-to-regulate industries like mining and off-road equipment, while also decreasing the total cost of ownership thanks to cheaper fuel and maintenance expenses.

Energy storage beyond batteries

Established in 2009 by Oliver Ahlberg and Taavi Madiberk, Skeleton Technologies manufactures and develops high-energy and power-density ultracapacitors based on a patented curved graphene material.

Ultracapacitors, also known as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC), are energy storage devices with extremely low internal resistance that enable quick charge and discharge at high currents. They also have a high level of safety and a long service life of up to one million charge/discharge cycles.

Through the use of nanoporous carbide-derived carbon, or ‘curved graphene’, Skeleton claims to have achieved breakthroughs in ultracapacitor performance.

According to the company, it offers its solutions to a variety of markets, including those for grid, transportation, and industrial applications. Its ultracapacitors provide four times the power density and double the energy density compared to other manufacturers’ products.

Skeleton is growing its clientele, which already includes major car and heavy electric machinery manufacturers in Europe and the US, as well as Siemens, General Electric, and Shell, in response to the growing trend towards electrification in all industrial sectors to achieve a decarbonised society.

The company says, “We are receiving customer inquiries for various applications including grid energy storage for which demand is expected to grow with renewable energy generation, electric and hybrid vehicles, battery railcars, and electric ships.”

“Several of these customers have already begun trials, including Shell, which is working with Skeleton to develop a heavy-duty electric mining truck, aiming to achieve full electrification of mine transportation trucks.”

Capital utilisation

Marubeni, Skeleton’s strategic partner since its investment in March 2021, has confirmed strong demand for the SuperBattery in various industrial fields, including automobiles, transportation vehicles, power grid and industrial equipment, through sales and marketing activities in Asia, primarily in Japan and Korea. 

With the additional investment and human resources, Marubeni will support Skeleton’s growth to provide them with global-scale marketing functionalities.

Marubeni has outlined a green strategy in its Mid-Term Management Strategy “GC2024”, which it released in February 2022. The company hopes to lead the way in the industry by “expanding the scope of its Green Business” and “promoting green initiatives in all its businesses”.

Delivering the SuperBattery to manufacturers in a variety of sectors, the firm says it will continue to drive value creation in its green business and thereby aid in the realisation of a sustainable society.