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 flywheel energy storage?

Flywheel Energy Storage is a form of kinetic energy storage that uses rotating discs to store and release rotational energy. While the technology has been around for decades as a form of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to provide power when main sources fail, it has more recently begun to be refined and developed.

How does a flywheel retain energy?

Energy Storage: The flywheel continues to spin at high speed, maintaining energy as long as friction and resistance are minimized. The longer it spins, the more energy it holds, similar to how the skater retains rotational energy as they keep spinning.

Can flywheels store energy from a wind power system?

The first study combined flywheels with lead-acid batteries to store energy from a wind power system. This combination utilized the quick response time of a flywheel and the longer discharge duration of a battery. This prompted common use of flywheels in conjunction with batteries as a quick-burst power option.

Why is a flywheel considered a dynamic storage system?

Because a flywheel must be accelerated by an external force before it will store energy, it is considered a “dynamic” storage system. The rate at which the flywheel spins remains nearly constant because of the vacuum-like container, which prevents friction from slowing the revolution.

Why should you choose a flywheel system?

High Efficiency: Flywheel systems are highly efficient at storing and releasing energy, with minimal energy loss over time. Environmentally Friendly: Since there are no harmful chemicals or heavy metals involved, flywheels are considered a greener option compared to chemical batteries.