Flywheel energy storage installation and construction costs

How much does a flywheel energy storage system cost?

The amortized capital costs are $130.26 and $92.01/kW-year for composite and steel rotor FESSs, respectively. The corresponding LCOSs are $189.94 and $146.41/MWh, respectively. Table 4. Cost summary for 20 MW/5MWh flywheel energy storage systems.

Why are composite rotor flywheel energy storage systems more expensive?

The differences in the TIC of the two systems are due to differences in rotor and bearing costs. The composite rotor flywheel energy storage system costs more than the steel rotor flywheel energy storage system because composite materials are still in the research and development stage and material and manufacturing costs are high.

How much does a steel rotor flywheel cost?

The steel rotor flywheel has a lower capital cost and levelized cost of storage. The costs of composite and steel rotor flywheels are $190 and $146/MWh, respectively. Flywheel energy storage systems are increasingly being considered as a promising alternative to electro-chemical batteries for short-duration utility applications.

Does a flywheel storage system need a bottom-up research?

However, almost no bottom-up research has been done, i.e., research that considers the technical parameters to size the components of a flywheel storage system, estimate cost parameters based on the design, and provide a probable distribution of the total investment cost and levelized cost of storage.

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 .

What is a flywheel system?

Flywheel systems are composed of various materials including those with steel flywheel rotors and resin/glass or resin/carbon-fiber composite rotors. Flywheels store rotational kinetic energy in the form of a spinning cylinder or disc, then use this stored kinetic energy to regenerate electricity at a later time.