SET BY KELLY MADDEN
batterytech
NEW TECHNOLOGY MAY REVOLUTIONIZE THE BATTERY INDUSTRY
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hen it comes to providing electric power for golf carts, utility vehicles, boats and RVs, there is finally something new under the sun. A new company based in Fort Myers, Florida, is marketing an alternative to standard lead or lithium batteries they’re calling “power packs”, a graphene-based matrix super capacitator system which is claimed to have many advantages. SETI, an acronym for Sustainable Energy Technologies, Inc., was formed in 2019 and has designed a power pack that weighs only about 35 pounds, compared to multiple traditional batteries that can weigh around 400 pounds. The new power packs are powered by solar panels, either on top of a golf cart, boat or other vehicle, making them the perfect green choice for power. They never need water, charge extremely quickly and can last for up to 20,000 charging cycles. Traditional lead batteries can take up to 8 to 12 hours to attain a full charge, but the new SETI Power Packs can completely charge in about 8 to 10 minutes in the sun. After a round of golf or a full day of work on the construction site, SETI
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Power Packs will have the same or more charge as when you started the day. The weight efficiency is also a big factor in why SETI feels the new technology is superior to standard batteries, greatly increasing the power-to-weight ratio and overall handling of any electric powered vehicle. The power packs are also biodegradable, making them better for the environment. The capacitator technology uses small graphene matrix “packets” containing thousands of layers that produce an electrostatic charge, and the more packets used, the more power produced. Chris Sanders is the CEO of SETI, and says the company spent 3 years testing the product in dozens of applications to ensure the product was ready for the market, and the power packs came through with flying colors in every outcome. He said, “this is the Holy Grail of power.” Even if the packets experience a puncture, the capacitator will still charge and provide power. Sanders said they are working with the ideal power pack design for golf carts currently, but he sees a day when