Can Supercapacitors Smooth AI's Power Swings?
Data Center Knowledge, Monday, September 28th, 2026
Supercapacitors can absorb millisecond AI load spikes, but experts see them complementing rather than replacing UPS systems and batteries.
AI training creates sharp load swings that conventional power architectures struggle to absorb, with transients reaching more than 150% of a power shelf's rated capacity, and supercapacitors offer the high power density and millisecond response suited to voltage stabilization, peak shaving and short-term backup.
IDTechEx describes three types (EDLCs, lithium-ion hybrids and pseudocapacitors) and projects the data center market reaching $950 million by 2037.
Backup runtime is short, around 2 minutes for EDLCs and up to 10 for some hybrids, so batteries and UPS systems still carry sustained loads and rack designers are keeping slots flexible rather than committing to one approach.