by Chad Redman
Rapidly spinning masses known as flywheels are used for energy storage in a wide variety of applications, including transportation, sport, and grid level electricity. Focusing on grid solutions, flywheel energy storage systems (FESS) comprise massive rotors magnetically suspended in a stator, which acts as a motor when the flywheel needs to be spun up and a generator when the kinetic energy of the flywheel needs to be converted into electricity. Through the use of magnetic bearings and a vacuum chamber for the flywheel housing, FESS are highly efficient for short-term energy storage. Continue reading