Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This study focuses on key ultracapacitor products and provides data about the
size and growth of the ultracapacitors markets, company profiles and industry
trends. Also, the goal of this report is to provide a detailed and
comprehensive multi-client study of the markets in North America, Europe,
Japan, China, India, Korea and the rest of the world (ROW) for ultracapacitors
as well as potential business opportunities in the future. The objectives
include thorough coverage of underlying economic issues driving the
ultracapacitors business, as well as assessments of new, advanced
ultracapacitors that companies are developing. Also covered are legislative
pressures for more safety and environmental protection, as well as users'
expectations for economical ultracapacitors. Another important objective is to
provide realistic market data and forecasts for ultracapacitors. This study
provides the most thorough and up-to-date assessment that can be found
anywhere on the subject. The study also provides extensive quantification of
the many important facets of market development in ultracapacitors in the
world. This, in turn, contributes to a determination of what kind of strategic
response companies may adopt in order to compete in these dynamic markets.
Ultracapacitors users in developed markets must contend with twin pressures:
to innovate and, at the same time, to reduce costs. New applications for
ultracapacitors have been proposed in recent years. The popularity of these
devices is due to their long cycle life and high power density relative to
batteries. Ultracapacitors exhibit in principle unlimited cycle life and
maintenance-free operation as an alternative to batteries in power
circuits. A new, promising application for ultracapacitors is a pulse-power
source in fuel cell and hybrid vehicle applications. The pulse-power source
provides the peak power during acceleration and stores regenerative energy
during braking.
SCOPE AND FORMAT
The market data contained in this report quantify opportunities for
ultracapacitors. In addition to product types, this report also covers the
many issues concerning the merits and future prospects of the ultracapacitors
business, including corporate strategies, information technologies, and the
means for providing these highly advanced product and service offerings. This
report also covers in detail the economic and technological issues regarded by
many as critical to the industry' s current state of change. It provides a
review of the ultracapacitors industry and its structure, and of the many
companies involved in providing these products. The competitive positions of
the main players in the ultracapacitors market and the strategic options they
face are also discussed, along with such competitive factors as marketing,
distribution and operations.
SUMMARY
Ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) fill an important
and otherwise vacant niche in the current set of energy-storage devices,
bridging the gap between batteries and conventional capacitors. They offer
greater energy densities than do electrostatic capacitors, making them a
better choice for backup applications. They also possess higher power
densities than batteries, allowing them to perform a role in load-leveling of
pulsed currents. They can help to improve battery performance when combined in
hybrid power sources, or they can provide an efficient and long-lasting means
of energy storage when used on their own. It must be realized, however, that
the technology does have its limitations, and that applications requiring a
long duration of discharge are probably better suites to batteries. If power
requirements are found to be at the border of a battery' s capabilities, a
hybrid EDLC/battery configuration may be an optimal solution. Advantage can
then be gained from both the power density of the EDLC and the energy storage
of the battery. This would seem to be the case in electric vehicles, which
require power for acceleration in short bursts. The fast response time of
EDLCs also makes them suitable for power-quality applications such as Statcons
and DVRs. Power can quickly be injected or absorbed to help minimize voltage
fluctuations in distribution systems.
information sources
Initially, a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the literature on
ultracapacitors was conducted. These sources included the latest press
releases on company websites including application news, company news,
marketing news, product news, brochures, product literature, energy-storage
magazines, technical journals, technical books, marketing literature, other
promotional literature, annual reports, securities analysts' reports and other
energy-storage business publications. There are very little data in the
available literature that analyze ultracapacitors as a whole; and the data
that do exist, for the most part, present ultracapacitors as part of
general-purpose electric products. The challenge was to identify the
ultracapacitors market and evaluate how it fits into the ultracapacitors user
industry globally. An extensive patent analysis was conducted to gauge
technological innovation and to determine research activity as it applies to
new product development. The second phase involved formal and informal
telephone interviews and e-mail correspondence with personnel in
ultracapacitors. Suppliers, design engineers, consulting companies, other
technical experts, government officials and trade- association officials were
also interviewed, as were personnel in ultracapacitors user companies.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
- Ultracapacitors market growth will continue during 2006 to 2011. The $272
million (in US$) worldwide ultracapacitor business in 2006 will continue to
grow at an AAGR of 15.3% through 2011
- In 2005, the global ultracapacitors market was estimated at US $238
million. This market is expected to grow to over US $272 million by 2006 and
over US $560 million by 2011
- There are three major markets where ultracapacitors are needed, each
having its own specific requirements. These are automotive, consumer
electronics and industrial power management
- Ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) fill an
important and otherwise vacant niche in the current set of energy-storage
devices, bridging the gap between batteries and conventional capacitors.
| 
View Cart
