Superdielectrics, a firm based in Cambridge, has introduced a groundbreaking hybrid energy storage technology that melds supercapacitors with electrochemical batteries.

This innovative aqueous polymer-based technology, touted as a significant advancement in storage solutions, claims to match the energy density of lead acid batteries while charging ten times faster. 

The breakthrough in polymer technology is credited to an ongoing collaboration with researchers at Bristol University, who have identified and validated its key mechanisms.

 The core materials utilized are purportedly low-cost, recyclable, and inherently safer compared to prevalent storage technologies like lithium-ion.

At a press event held at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in London, Professor Marcus Newborough, Director of R&D at Superdielectrics, showcased the company's Faraday 1 storage device. 

After providing an introductory overview of the technology, Professor Newborough led the audience to an adjacent room where a prototype of the Faraday 1 system was powering a cluster of bright lights.

Superdielectrics reports that the Faraday 1 device has undergone over a million hours of testing, and the company believes that further development of the technology could position it as a competitor to lithium-ion batteries

. The company's website asserts that the aqueous polymer technology is already globally protected through more than ten patent families.

"We believe that the ability to charge rapidly - and discharge rapidly if needed - is a key advantage over battery technologies," Professor Newborough remarked to the gathered guests at the IET.

"Structurally, all our intellectual property is based on crosslinked hydrophilic polymer materials. Crosslinking refers to the interconnected polymer chains in a 3D matrix, which provides strength and self-supporting characteristics to the polymer.

"The membrane is ion-selective, allowing for both electrochemistry and electrostatic storage.

 Our polymer is very cost-effective compared to industry standards... approximately half of our materials consist of water. It's a benign substance... free of lithium, cadmium, or cobalt."

According to Jim Heathcote, CEO of Superdielectrics, the technology holds the potential to revolutionize the energy storage market. 

The company sees opportunities in stationary and home storage as significant markets presently, with potential expansion into lighter mobility applications. 

As energy density continues to improve, heavier applications such as aerospace and automotive sectors may become feasible. Superdielectrics claims to have increased its cell energy density by 900 percent over the past two years.

"Our goal is to establish an affordable and sustainable energy future," Heathcote stated at the launch event. "Currently, we believe that our technology is suitable for electric bikes, forklift trucks, and home energy storage.

"If every roof within the M25 installed solar panels along with an affordable energy storage solution, the UK could achieve electricity self-sufficiency.

"In England and Wales alone, there are approximately 20 million homes. If each household had 1 kWh of energy storage, it would add 20 gigawatts of energy storage capacity to the UK grid."

Heathcote mentioned that the company's immediate plans involve targeting the home storage market by leasing Superdielectrics' storage systems to households across the UK.

 He suggested that consumers could benefit from the storage technology regardless of whether they have domestic solar generation.

"We anticipate leasing these 1 kW units for around £300 per year," he explained. "With 20 million homes in England and Wales alone, that presents a potential market of £6 billion. That's our initial target market.

"We possess a new energy storage technology that is adaptable to fluctuations. 

It charges rapidly, is safe with its 50 percent water composition, unlikely to catch fire, cost-effective, recyclable, and has the potential to surpass existing battery technologies."

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