The US has some impressive flywheel energy storage plants. The
largest of these is the 20 MW Beacon Power flywheel station located in
Stephentown, New York. Until recently, it was the world’s largest
flywheel energy storage system (FESS), but not anymore.
China has developed a massive 30-megawatt (MW) FESS in Shanxi
province called the Dinglun flywheel energy storage power station.
This station is now connected to the grid, making it the largest operational flywheel energy storage facility ever built.
According to the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA), the station
will play a big role in stabilizing the local power grid and supporting
renewable energy integration in China.
What is a flywheel energy storage system?
A flywheel energy storage system works by spinning a large, heavy
wheel, called a flywheel at very high speeds. The energy is stored as
rotational kinetic energy in the spinning wheel.
When electricity is needed, the flywheel’s rotational speed is reduced, and the stored kinetic energy is converted
back into electrical power using a generator. This type of storage is
useful as it can quickly store and release energy, making it ideal for
balancing the supply and demand of electricity on the grid.
It offers more efficiency and higher power density compared to
compressed air, pumped hydro, and various other mechanical energy
storage systems.
Plus, compared to other popular energy storage solutions
such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors, they have longer life
spans (~ 20 to 30 years) and have less environmental impact.
This is because they don’t use any chemicals or toxic heavy metals.
“FESS are also good candidates for electrical grid regulation to improve
distribution efficiency and smoothing power output from renewable
energy sources like wind or solar farms,” a study notes.
Dinglun energy storage facility
The construction of the Dinglun station began in 2023. The total cost of the project came out to be a whopping $48 million.
This happens to be China’s first large-scale FESS, and it can store enough energy to power over 2,000 households for an entire year.
The makers of the Dinglun station have employed 120 advanced
high-speed magnetic levitation flywheel units. This makes the facility
more stable and will allow it to store energy efficiently in a vacuum and under low-friction conditions.
A special feature of the station is its semi-buried underground well
system which provides a safe environment for workers to monitor its
operations and perform maintenance tasks.
Boasting an output of 30 MW, the station comprises an array of 12
energy storage units that were recently connected to a 110-kilovolt (kV)
power grid.
Hopefully, this powerful energy storage facility will inspire the
development of many similar stations that promise energy with a reduced
environmental impact.