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The €220m supercapacitor factory by Skeleton will be designed by Siemens and is expected to produce up to 12m cells a year.
Estonian energy storage company Skeleton Technologies is partnering with Siemens to build Europe’s largest supercapacitor factory in Germany.
Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices that can store and release energy at smaller quantities and faster speeds than conventional batteries. They can be used to help cars, electrical grids and industrial sites reduce carbon emissions and save energy.
The new €220m supercapacitor factory will be designed by Siemens and based near Leipzig in Germany. Production is set to begin in 2024.
Siemens’ technology is expected to complement Skeleton’s patented ‘curved graphene’ material in lowering production costs. The collaboration will digitise Skeleton’s entire supply chain and help scale up production of next-generation capacitors.
“Supercapacitors are a key element in dramatically reducing emissions in the power generation, transportation and industrial sectors,” said Skeleton co-founder and CEO Taavi Madiberk.
“Skeleton and Siemens both believe that the global economy is undergoing structural changes in some of the largest carbon emission sources such as power generation, transport and industry. Supercapacitors are a key element in drastically reducing emissions in these sectors.”
The factory in Markranstädt will produce up to 12m cells a year and have an output 40 times greater than Skeleton’s other site in Saxony, which will continue as an R&D factory in the future.
Madiberk said the aim is for automotive clients to account for 20pc of revenue by 2027. Skeleton has signed contracts with German carmakers and has deals in the pipeline with Japanese manufacturers, according to a Reuters report.
“Supercapacitors are a key element in drastically reducing emissions in these sectors. In the field of energy storage and saving, technology and innovation play a crucial role in enabling the global economy to achieve climate goals,” Madiberk added.
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