Can Supercapacitors Smooth AI’s Power Swings?

AI workloads create sharp power spikes that conventional data center power systems struggle to handle. Supercapacitors are devices that store energy and release it in milliseconds to seconds, making them potentially useful for smoothing these sudden power demands. Rather than replacing existing backup systems like batteries and uninterruptible power supplies, supercapacitors are being tested alongside them to handle short bursts while those systems provide longer-term support. The data center supercapacitor market is still early but growing rapidly, with three different technological designs competing for deployment.