Systems (100) and methods (400) for powering an electrical load (322) in an environment. The methods involve using a battery (310) to simultaneously supply electrical energy to control electronics (308, 316) and a Super Capacitor (“SC”) storage element (314) immediately after a system has been disposed in the environment and turned on. In effect, the control electronics are caused to perform intended functions thereof nearly instantaneously after turning on the system. The SC storage element is charged from a first charge state in which approximately zero volts exist across terminals thereof to a second charge state in which greater than zero volts exists across the terminals. The SC storage element is then used to supply electrical energy to the electrical load of the system so as to cause the electrical load to perform intended functions thereof.