Beacon Power supplies flywheels to Alaska
Flywheel energy storage manufacturer Beacon Power will supply flywheels for a 320 kW hybrid energy storage project to support Alaska’s electricity grid.
The project, in partnership with Alaskan Chugach Electric Association, will combine one of Beacon’s 160kW flywheels with a flooded lead-acid battery for periods where additional power is needed to stabilise the grid during peak demand.
The Beacon flywheel provides the first-stage response to irregularities in the grid, while the batteries will provide power for longer periods.
Combining quick responding flywheels and batteries will help to stabilise and manage variable output from renewable energy sources.
The system which is fully scalable to add as many flywheels as needed will be tested to see if it can be scaled up to interconnect renewables with remote system utilities along the Alaska Railbelt, home to 70% of Alaska’s population.
The test system is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.