Flywheels have gone high-tech and are used to store electricity as kinetic energy which is instantly available when needed. One major use is for power backups.
Beacon Power is a big player here, and their flywheels recently got certified by the California Independent System Operator (CAL-ISO) to be used for frequency regulation in the state grid. This is a seriously big deal.
Flywheels have several advantages over lead-acid batteries in that they have no hazardous materials in them and operate for years with little maintenance. Thus, long-term, they are cheaper than batteries, as well as being much greener.
You can create electricity with renewable sources like solar and wind, store it using flywheels, and thus be completely off the grid.
[tags]flywheels[/tags]
I’ve been to Beacon’s offices on multiple occasions and have written on the power industry for a long time.
I appreciate your enthusiasm but let me temper it with a little reality. This is not a system capable of holding power for meaningful energy conservation. It can help fill litle blips in energy demand but it’s expensive solution and not a particularly good long term energy store.
I like the company and what it has tried to do, but you need to understand how the grid works to appreciate how niche players like Beacon fit in.