An overview of energy storage supercapacitor systems and their applications

The use of batteries is widespread in the industry, but they have various disadvantages, and in some applications, the need for less weight or volume, higher power density or a better response to transient events is felt. Due to the practical problems of batteries and with the advancement of technology, especially in materials science, supercapacitors were introduced. Supercapacitors are advanced high-capacity electrical energy storage devices in relatively small volumes. A supercapacitor consists of two thin, high-level electrodes (plates) separated by a dielectric, providing a high energy storage density. In addition, supercapacitors have advantages over other energy storage technologies such as less carbon footprint as well as lower cost of ownership and maintenance. Applications of supercapacitors can be to provide temporary load until the backup generator is fully offline and thus reduce the need for fossil fuel generators, oscillation and stabilization of frequency changes in power systems, smoothing solar and wind energy, support Short-term and reduce the risk of breakdown in important facilities and thus improve the quality of electricity supply. Supercapacitors are used in a wide range of applications, from the power grid to the transportation sector. This article provides an overview of supercapacitors, including concepts, applications, features, advantages, and limitations. Then, their applications in different sectors of the industry, including use in the power grid and microgrid, especially their benefits in combination with renewable energy and transportation systems, are discussed. Moreover, some examples of universal implementation of supercapacitors and the benefits obtained will be explained.