Could flywheel technology be a key part of our energy storage needs?

Flywheel technology has the potential to be a key part of our Energy Storage needs, writes Prof. Keith Robert Pullen: Electricity power systems are going through a major transition away from centralised fossil and nuclear based generation towards renewables, driven mainly by substantial cost reductions in solar PV and wind.

What is the difference between a flywheel and a battery storage system?

Flywheel Systems are more suited for applications that require rapid energy bursts, such as power grid stabilization, frequency regulation, and backup power for critical infrastructure. Battery Storage is typically a better choice for long-term energy storage, such as for renewable energy systems (solar or wind) or home energy storage.

What is a flywheel energy storage system?

Fig. 1 has been produced to illustrate the flywheel energy storage system, including its sub-components and the related technologies. A FESS consists of several key components: (1) A rotor/flywheel for storing the kinetic energy. (2) A bearing system to support the ro-tor/flywheel.

Are flywheel-based hybrid energy storage systems based on compressed air energy storage?

While many papers compare different ESS technologies, only a few research [152,153] studies design and control flywheel-based hybrid energy storage systems. Recently, Zhang et al. present a hybrid energy storage system based on compressed air energy storage and FESS.

Are flywheels viable for utility-scale energy storage?

Flywheels are only viable for utility-scale energy storage when multiple units can be integrated into an array to achieve the necessary storage capacity. Developing hardware, software and a test platform is necessary to successfully demonstrate multi-unit array operation with balanced power and state of charge (SoC).

Can a flywheel be used as an energy storage farm?

For flywheels, large arrays of units installed as an “energy storage farm” will be commonplace. The hardware and software to manage and control multiple units was developed. During the project activities, arrays of up to four units were operated through multiple power cycles under a range of operating scenarios.