The Mechanical Battery Explained - A Flywheel Comeback?

A flywheel contains a dual function electric motor to store and generate energy.

It operates like an electric motor in an EV to speed up the flywheel using electricity so that kinetic energy is stored in the spinning wheel.

The world has been shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in order to achieve low carbon emissions and maintain cheap prices.

Flywheel energy storage systems fall into two categories, low speed and high speed.

Low speed flywheels are made-up of steel and spin at rates up to 10,000 RPM.

High speed Flywheels that feature high power density and efficiency can reach up to 100,000 RPs.

They've also been used as control moment gyros and spacecraft like the International Space Station to hold the space station at a fixed altitude.

Flywheels need to have a big cost reduction in performance boost along with the development of new materials with high strength and low density for rotor materials, as well as improvements to the motor and generator itself.

This means a lot of money and time spent of research and development, which is why flywheels have been overlooked in favor of the latest battery technologies.