Flywheel Energy Storage: Challenges in Microgrids
While flywheel energy storage systems offer several advantages such as high-power density, fast response times, and a long lifespan, they also face challenges in microgrid applications.
A flywheel-storage power system uses a flywheel for grid energy storage, (see Flywheel energy storage) and can be a comparatively small storage facility with a peak power of up to 20 MW. It typically is used to stabilize to some degree power grids, to help them stay on the grid frequency, and to serve as a short-term compensation storage.
The levelized cost of storage (LCOS) for flywheels is expected to decrease as advances in materials science and manufacturing processes are made. Fig. 23 shows the projected properties of flywheel energy storage systems for 2030, indicating improvements in cost-effectiveness and performance.
Beyond pumped hydroelectric storage, flywheels represent one of the most established technologies for mechanical energy storage based on rotational kinetic energy . Fundamentally, flywheels store kinetic energy in a rotating mass known as a rotor [, , , ], characterized by high conversion power and rapid discharge rates .
Flywheels have relatively high efficiency compared to other storage technologies, such as batteries . In addition, they are recommended as a preferred choice in applications where fast charging and discharging of energy is required. However, it should be noted that they also suffer from some losses that can reduce their efficiency.
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