Inside the flywheel energy storage

Could flywheels be the future of energy storage?

Flywheels, one of the earliest forms of energy storage, could play a significant role in the transformation of the electrical power system into one that is fully sustainable yet low cost.

How does a flywheel energy storage system work?

Flywheel energy storage uses electric motors to drive the flywheel to rotate at a high speed so that the electrical power is transformed into mechanical power and stored, and when necessary, flywheels drive generators to generate power. The flywheel system operates in the high vacuum environment.

How long does a flywheel energy storage system last?

Flywheel energy storage systems have a long working life if periodically maintained (>25 years). The cycle numbers of flywheel energy storage systems are very high (>100,000). In addition, this storage technology is not affected by weather and climatic conditions . One of the most important issues of flywheel energy storage systems is safety.

Where is flywheel energy storage located?

It is generally located underground to eliminate this problem. Flywheel energy storage uses electric motors to drive the flywheel to rotate at a high speed so that the electrical power is transformed into mechanical power and stored, and when necessary, flywheels drive generators to generate power.

Can small applications be used instead of large flywheel energy storage systems?

Small applications connected in parallel can be used instead of large flywheel energy storage systems. There are losses due to air friction and bearing in flywheel energy storage systems. These cause energy losses with self-discharge in the flywheel energy storage system.

How does a flywheel work?

When energy needs to be released, the flywheel reverses the generator and transforms the stored mechanical energy into electrical energy. The frequency and voltage of the output electric energy are controlled by an electrical electronic device to meet the requirements .