Sustainable Energy and the Return of the Fly(wheel)
Jan 22nd, 2010 Originally Posted by Tina Casey
The flywheel is an old technology that dates back to Neolithic-era spindles and potter’s wheels. Flywheels made a huge splash during the Industrial Revolution (anyone remember steam engines?) and now they’re ready to take center stage in the new wave of sustainable energy.
In sustainable energy, flywheels come into play as a means of storing intermittent power. Wind power and solar power are notoriously fickle in many parts of the world, and some means of smoothing out the bumps is required. Vycon is one of several companies exploring the potential of flywheels, and it has come up with some interesting twists.