Abstract
Potential Customers Hesitant Due to High Supercapacitor Prices
While there is a widespread interest in supercapacitor technology in Europe,
most potential customers find the prices too high when compared to the main
alternative technology - lead batteries. While end users are waiting for the
average per farad price to fall between 0.5 and 1 cent before making an
investment, supercapacitor manufacturers are hoping to lower prices after the
much-touted hybrid electric market triggers production levels. However,
automotive manufacturers are still postponing the launch dates of hybrid
electric vehicles (HEV). This fact coupled with the need for R&D expenditure
and production costs to be recouped is expected to delay significant reduction
in prices.
This Frost & Sullivan research service offers a detailed strategic
analysis of the European market for supercapacitors. It focuses on demand in
sectors including automotive, rail, renewable energy systems, and
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, providing valuable insights on
market drivers, restraints, and areas of growth.
Booming Automotive Market Pushes Development
"In order to grow, the electric vehicles market needs energy storage
technologies to develop very quickly," says the author. "Therefore
automotive makers are pushing supercapacitor manufacturers to increase their
performance, develop their production capabilities and lower their costs."
Higher targets for minimum voltage, lifetime and temperature ranges are driving
the whole supercapacitor industry to renewed improvements.
Already, the demand from car manufacturers in Europe who are researching HEVs
and require supercapacitor samples for tests on prototype vehicles has had a
significant impact on revenues in 2002. In addition, market growth is most
likely to be driven by automotive applications such as drivetrain applications
(regenerative braking, launch-assist and start and go) and the powering of
on-board electronic features. Eventually, the automotive segment is expected to
account for almost 60 percent of the total sales of supercapacitors.
Technology Awareness Eases the Way for Adoption
Awareness of capacitor technology among end users is expected to make the
introduction of supercapacitors into the market easier. This predisposes
researchers to testing and including supercapacitors in their future designs.
Easier comprehension of the technology is expected to be particularly important
in applications such as UPS and renewable energy, helping supercapacitors grow
against competing technologies including flywheels that are tougher to
comprehend.
Supercapacitors are positioned to bridge the gap between capacitors and
batteries, storing larger quantities of electricity that can be delivered in
short bursts of power. In the meantime, manufacturers are busy improving
specifics such as energy/power density, cell balancing schemes for connection of
cells in series, and the operational temperature range while also lengthening
supercapacitor life time and decreasing production costs that are held high due
to the costly activated carbon material.
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