Materials Company EnerG2 Breaks Ground on Plant for Ultracap Electrode Materials
11 August 2010
Seattle, Washington-based EnerG2, a seven-year-old company focused on introducing advanced nano-structured materials for next-generation energy storage, broke ground on its first facility dedicated to the commercial-scale production of synthetic high-performance carbon electrode material for use in ultracapacitor energy storage devices.
EnerG2 anticipates that ultracapacitors containing its materials will be used by the automotive industry for hybrid electric vehicles, by electronics manufacturers for enhancing the life and usability of consumer goods, and by a variety of industrial customers to deliver an breadth of new ways to improve energy efficiency.
EnerG2’s manufacturing approach revolves around mass customization of electrode materials that enhance energy and power density in ultracapacitors. Originally working in collaboration with the University of Washington Department of Materials Science & Engineering, EnerG2 has developed and commercialized unique sol-gel processing technologies to construct its carbon materials.
Sol-gel processing, which creates optimal structure and purity in the finished carbon product, is a chemical synthesis that gels colloidal suspensions to form solids through heat and catalysts.
EnerG2 developed a proprietary method to control the hydrolysis and condensation reactions within the gelling process, allowing the materials’ surface structures and pore-size distributions to be shaped, molded and customized for a variety of applications.
In designing and constructing the a manufacturing facility to support this approach, EnerG2 will partner with Albany-based Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc. (OFD), a current manufacturing partner. OFD will help the company design elements of this commercial-scale plant for the production of energy storage materials.
Among the company’s supporters are the University of Washington; the Washington Technology Center, a state-supported economic development agency that finances applications of university research; WRF Capital; the Sustainability Investment Fund; Northwest Energy Angels; the Frontier Angel Fund; OVP Venture Partners; Firelake Capital Management; and Yaletown Venture Partners.
In addition to the federal stimulus funding, EnerG2 since inception has raised over $14.5 million in equity financing. Institutional investors OVP and Firelake led a Series A financing and additional strategic investors added new equity funding in April of this year.
I dug a little on their website and it sounds like they are EEStor except with a different name. This is more news towards the commercialization of an "ultracap" EESU than we've ever heard out of EEStor. The difference is they are not making the bold claims that EEStor had been making - I couldn't find any information anywhere about the performance of their batteries relative to traditional Li-ion. It's too bad they are not marketing their technology as a quantum leap forward and providing specific performance specs relative to existing technology.
Posted by: ejj | 11 August 2010 at 05:18 AM
Better not to make any claims or the FUD mongers will attack like piranhas.
Posted by: creativforce | 11 August 2010 at 07:24 AM
Improved ultra caps may be the ideal solution for heavy e-vehicles such as e-buses, delivery e-trucks, e-locomotives, e-boats, e-tractors etc., where an extra ton or so would not matter that much.
Ultra caps ruggedness, extreme long life, 1+ million potential quick charges/discharges, very high power capability, high/low temperatures operation make it a good work horse where high power is required. The only negative is its low (1/8 to 1/10 lithium batteries) energy density. If that can be significantly improved, it could become a serious competitor.
Posted by: HarveyD | 11 August 2010 at 08:56 AM
"for enhancing the life and usability of consumer goods, and by a variety of industrial customers to deliver an breadth of new ways to improve energy efficiency."
Sounds like they anticipate a series circuit ultracap for regen and acceleration of EVs and battery life extension for other applications. Breaking ground is great news for the expanding alternative energy market and the overall energy independence campaign.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 11 August 2010 at 08:36 PM
We have heard a lot of breakthroughs and breaking ground over many years. It is time to make some of these realities. We have heard about Range and others doing pilot plants years ago. I have yet to here the coordinated projections about WHEN we will have 10 huge battery plants and 100 huge fuel plants.
Posted by: SJC | 12 August 2010 at 08:11 AM
SJC. It will come if governments keep pushing it. Free enterprise will not do it alone. Another way to promote and accelerate the process would be with adjustments to tax, tariff and service fees structure, at least for the next 10 to 20 years or so.
USA has to find ways to put unemployed to work and to reduce crude oil import. Batteries/Ultra Caps and Electrified vehicles mass production and alternative fuels production could play an important role.
Converting CO2 + NG to liquid fuels could also help.
Building PHEA's (plug-in electrified airplanes), like Cesna is trying to do, and PHEL's (plug-in electrified locomotives) etc are all innovative ways that could revive USA's economy.
Posted by: HarveyD | 12 August 2010 at 10:24 AM