Presented paper describes and critically comments major recent strategies for improving electrochemical capacitor performance. Particularly, carbon based electrodes and aqueous electrolytes have been considered. A novel concept of redox active electrolytes as a source of pseudocapacitance effect as well as profits and cons of such system have been discussed. The electrochemical performance of capacitor operating in such electrolyte solution is reported. Furthermore, some advantageous features of bio-inspired system based on bromine-cerium solution acting as oscillator are also presented. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.