Development of novel supercapacitor-battery hybrid systems for renewable energy storage

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The energy sector is one of the largest carbon dioxide emitters and the integration of renewable energy into the electrical power generation economy is a promising strategy to reduce carbon emissions. However, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are irregular and do not only vary over short times but also over long periods. Hence, energy from renewables, which is not immediately consumed, must be stored until it is used and supplied when required. Batteries can store and dispense relatively large amounts of energy, but they don't work well at high electrical power rates. In contrast, supercapacitors can handle large power rates but do not store a lot of energy. Hence, both candidates are not ideal to support the integration of renewable sources into the grid. This proposal is concerned with the development of a novel class of hybrids which combine the energy storage mechanisms of supercapacitors and battery. In an ideal demonstration, such a hybrid can store large amounts of energy like a battery and handle high power rates like a supercapacitor. These features make it an ideal energy storage device for the integration of renewable energy sources in the existing electricity grid. We propose the combination of high-surface area electrodes with a non-aqueous electrolyte which allows for the supercapacitor-like operation of the hybrid. The non-aqueous electrolyte also contains a redox species - a chemical agent which can be electrochemically converted - which grants the battery-like mechanisms to the hybrid. The hybrid development is accompanied by investigation of the underlying fundamentals. In detail, we will explore charge and mass transfer in confined geometries as we find them in batteries, supercapacitors and their hybrids. From the derived understanding, we can develop guidelines for design improvements of future devices to make them more efficient. The research also trains nine Highly Qualified Personnel and contributes to Canada's economic future.