Estonian ultracapacitor maker Skeleton has signed a contract with CAF Power & Automation, a global manufacturer of electric power solutions, to supply its ultracapacitors for trams powered by CAF’s on-board energy storage systems.
According to Skeleton, its ultracapacitor technology can significantly improve the trams’ efficiency – “reducing costs and CO2 emissions, it can also enable compatibility between existing limited power in infrastructure and the demand of high peaks of power of modern trams”.
“Skeleton’s cells offer very high efficiency and low heat losses, and their high-power density enables further weight and space savings. Therefore, they are a perfect fit to the rail and tram industry. Adding them to our energy storage systems will greatly benefit our existing and future customers, allowing to maximize energy efficiency at an unprecedented level,” CAF said, according to Skeleton’s statement.
According to Taavi Madiberk, a co-founder and the CEO of Skeleton, in terms of public transportation, trams – a light rail transportation solution also known as streetcars – are already a very energy-efficient solution.
“However, our ultracapacitors can take them to the next level allowing the maximum energy recovery. We are very glad to now collaborate with CAF Power & Automation and supply our cells to make trams that use their energy storage systems some of the most modern, cost and energy-efficient in the world,” Madiberk said in a statement.
Skeleton is an Estonian-founded technology company in ultracapacitor energy storage in automotive, transportation, grid and industrial applications. The company has three main locations: its manufacturing in Großröhrsdorf, Germany, materials’ development in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, and electrical engineering in Tallinn, Estonia.
Ultracapacitors are a technology used for fast energy storage. Capable of rapid charging in a matter of seconds and able to provide over a million charge/discharge cycles, they offer benefits in industries where reliable, instant power is a necessity.
Cover: A tram made by CAF in Luxembourg. Photo by GilPe, shared under the Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.
