Flywheel energy storage is difficult to popularize

Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, Sou th Africa. Abstract - This study gives a critical review of flywheel energy storage systems and their feasibility in various applications. Flywheel energy storage systems have gained increased popularity as a method of environmentally friendly energy storage.

The use of new materials and compact designs will increase the specific energy and energy density to make flywheels more competitive to batteries. Other opportunities are new applications in energy harvest, hybrid energy systems, and flywheel's secondary functionality apart from energy storage.

Energy is all around us - it can be harvested from sources such as wind, sun and moving water - but it's still difficult to store effectively. Working under the supervision of Pierre Mertiny, researchers are chipping away at the challenges and high costs of energy storage. One possibility is the new use of an old technology: the flywheel.

However, the high cost of purchase and maintenance of solar batteries has been a major hindrance. Flywheel energy storage systems are suitable and economical when frequent charge and discharge cycles are required. Furthermore, flywheel batteries have high power density and a low environmental footprint.

One possibility is the new use of an old technology: the flywheel. You know, almost intuitively, how the mechanical energy storage system called a flywheel works. Think of a foot-operated sewing machine or a spinning top. Both collect and store kinetic energy in the flywheel, and release it when needed, typically over a short time.

and high power quality such as fast response and voltage stability, the flywheel/kinetic energy storage system (FESS) is gaining attention recently. There is noticeable progress in FESS, especially in utility, large-scale deployment for the electrical grid, and renewable energy applications. This paper gives a review of the recent