Skeleton Technologies and Epic Power, a Spanish power electronics manufacturer, teamed up already in 2019 to reduce the energy consumption of elevators. Powered by our SkelCap ultracapacitors, the ElevatorKERS can reduce elevator energy consumption by up to 70%! Best of all, the system can be installed in new elevators as well as retrofitted to existing ones.
We have created case study to delve a bit deeper into how the system operates and what kind of results have already been achieved in real-life installations – download the case study here.
The logic is pretty simple: the ultracapacitor pack in the system is used to capture braking energy (that would otherwise be burned in the braking resistors) when the cabin is going down, and to re-use it to help lift the elevator on its journey up the shaft. With over 640,000 passenger and 110,000 freight elevators in operation in Germany alone, the potential for energy savings is enormous.
Due to the highly cyclic regime of alternating motion of elevators, great amounts of energy are absorbed from the grid and subsequently dissipated. In addition, when multiple elevators are actuated at the same time, high peak power can be drained causing power quality issues in the facility. Combining the positive effects of energy recovery and peak shaving capabilities, Skeleton Technologies’ ultracapacitors help save energy and improve the robustness of the electrical system. Ultracapacitors are the key enabler in the system due to their many benefits and make ElevatorKERS a no-brainer for hundreds of thousands of buildings:
- Over 1 million cycles & longer calendar life: 15 to 20 years
- Measurable and accessible energy savings up to 70%
- 100% reliable energy storage with zero maintenance
- No harmonic distortion
- Simple integration with a two-wire connection
The advantages of ElevatorKERS include quite a bit more than just energy, and therefore cost savings:
A standard ElevatorKERS has a capacity of up to 15kW, but several systems can be installed in parallel if needed.
To dig deeper into how ElevatorKERS operates and whether it could be suitable for your needs, download the ElevatorKERS case study.
For more information about ultracapacitors, contact Nijkerk Electronics.