How does Flywheel energy storage work?

Flywheel energy storage (FES) works by accelerating a rotor (flywheel) to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as rotational energy.

How can flywheels be more competitive to batteries?

The use of new materials and compact designs will increase the specific energy and energy density to make flywheels more competitive to batteries. Other opportunities are new applications in energy harvest, hybrid energy systems, and flywheel’s secondary functionality apart from energy storage.

Are flywheel energy storage systems a good alternative to electrochemical batteries?

Flywheel energy storage systems are considered to be an attractive alternative to electrochemical batteries due to higher stored energy density, higher life term, deterministic state of charge and ecological operation. The mechanical performance of a flywheel can be attributed to three factors: material strength, geometry, and rotational speed.

Are flywheel energy storage systems economically feasible?

Equipment cost distribution for the flywheel energy storage systems. FESSs are used for short-duration power applications. Therefore, power capital cost ($/kW) could be a useful parameter to compare the economic feasibility of energy storage systems for similar power applications.

What is the function of a flywheel?

The basic function of the flywheel is to convert the mechanical energy for the end-use application, which is electrical energy. For this conversion, an electromechanical machine is required which could be a motor/generator set. Generator and motor: When the kinetic energy is being stored, the motor is used to drive the flywheel.

What is the power rating of a flywheel energy storage system?

Utility-scale energy storage systems for stationary applications typically have power ratings of 1 MW or more . The largest flywheel energy storage is in New York, USA by Beacon Power with a power rating of 20 MW and 15 min discharge duration .