Method for balancing an energy storage system , wherein the energy storage system comprises a series circuit of storage modules , wherein the capacitive storage module has a capacitor, a double-layer capacitor or a lithium capacitor, wherein the series circuit of storage modules has at least two capacitive storage modules , wherein the capacitive storage modules are connected to a balancing device such that, by means of a flow of current between the balancing device and the capacitive storage modules , a charge of the capacitive storage modules can be influenced in each case, wherein the capacitive storage modules each have a capacitance (C i ), wherein the method comprises the following steps: - ascertaining the capacitance (C i ) of each of the capacitive storage modules , wherein in each case the capacitance (C i ) of the individual capacitive storage modules is determined from the change in the voltage (U i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and the current through the series circuit of the capacitive storage module , or is determined from the voltage (U i ) of the respective capacitive storage module or from a current through a resistor , wherein the individual capacitive storage modules are each linked to a resistor , - determining a module charge (Q eq_i ) for each of the capacitive storage modules at least from a voltage (U i ) and the capacitance (C i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and a predefinable balancing voltage (U eq_i ), - determining a reference charge (Q ref ) at least from the module charges (Q eq_i ) of the capacitive storage modules , - determining a balancing charge (Q sym_i ) for each of the capacitive storage modules at least from the reference charge (Q ref ) and the module charge (Q eq_i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and - influencing the charge of the capacitive storage modules by exchanging the respective balancing charge (Q sym_i ) between the respective capacitive storage module and the balancing device . - ascertaining the capacitance (C i ) of each of the capacitive storage modules , wherein in each case the capacitance (C i ) of the individual capacitive storage modules is determined from the change in the voltage (U i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and the current through the series circuit of the capacitive storage module , or is determined from the voltage (U i ) of the respective capacitive storage module or from a current through a resistor , wherein the individual capacitive storage modules are each linked to a resistor , - determining a module charge (Q eq_i ) for each of the capacitive storage modules at least from a voltage (U i ) and the capacitance (C i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and a predefinable balancing voltage (U eq_i ), - determining a reference charge (Q ref ) at least from the module charges (Q eq_i ) of the capacitive storage modules , - determining a balancing charge (Q sym_i ) for each of the capacitive storage modules at least from the reference charge (Q ref ) and the module charge (Q eq_i ) of the respective capacitive storage module and - influencing the charge of the capacitive storage modules by exchanging the respective balancing charge (Q sym_i ) between the respective capacitive storage module and the balancing device . <EOS>