Versarien PLC said its subsidiary, 2-Dtech, is part of a consortium that has won funding from the Department of Transport.
Project SUPPORTIVE has been awarded £652,000, of which 2-DTech will receive £93,000, in funding to develop an innovative asymmetric pseudo-capacitor power pack. The objective is for this pack to be used in container shuttles (vehicles that transport shipping containers) , at ports all over the world. Currently, these vehicles are powered by diesel engines and are a sizable hurdle when it comes to shifting maritime infrastructure to zero emissions by 2050, Versarien said.
There are currently two technologies used to power electric vehicles: lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Li-ion batteries can store large amounts of electrical energy but typically have low power output, slow charging times and relatively short battery life. Supercapacitors, on the other hand, supply huge amounts of power, charge very quickly and last almost indefinitely; however, the relatively small amount of energy they hold quickly drains and severely limits the range of a vehicle, Versarien explained.
The new SUPPORTIVE pseudo-capacitor technology is designed to charge quicker than supercapacitors, while also providing a higher power capacity and longer life span than lithium-ion batteries.
“Over the last few years, 2-DTech has been working with Gnanomat to develop and supply graphene/transition metal oxide hybrid materials for use within the supercapacitor industry. We are really excited to have the opportunity to go one step beyond supercapacitors and move the asymmetric pseudo-capacitor tech we have developed into a real-world application. As the world transitions away from fossil-fuel reliant technologies and works towards a zero-emissions future, pseudo-capacitor technology has the potential to play a significant role in making a renewable energy future reality,” said Neill Ricketts, the chief executive officer of Versarien.