Where there's a wheel there's a way

[CG]

Just in case you may have missed this. It is the first application of this storage system to wind power.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=123367&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1136466&highlig



ht=

[DanG]

There's some RE 'SPAM' for you. For the last seven years Enercon could has made a vacuum sealed flywheel make-up power unit for any grid or stand-alone power generation system using easily repairable subsystems. (http://www.enercon.de/en/_home.htm)

"In the year 2000 ENERCON decided to develop an energy storage system specially

suited to compensate wind power fluctuations... ...Rated power 200 kW with total Energy storage capacity 5 kWh... ...The ENERCON flywheel comes in a standard 20ft sea container convenient to transport and ready for connection to the grid..."

(Photos borrwed from ENERCON web site)

[vawtman]

Hi CG

 With help on IRC i now understand where your going with this.Thanks Dang and Ross

 Kinda like the thoughts i have for the wheel to help keep the turbine spinning during lulls and keep from spinnin like crazy during gusts.Can't wait to see how it reacts.

 Mark

[CG]

vawtman,

I have kept an eye on Beaconpower for a couple of years now, I think it is one of the more interesting things coming out of the US in regards to storage. There doesn't seem to be much reporting of it there, though, and here in the UK it isn't mentioned at all. But if if works it could do us all a favour, as leveling out the grid is quite important, and working on the priciple of "a penny saved is a penny earned" we could cut our use of fossil fuels.

They also have smaller flywheels, which might be useful for off-grid storage, but I think they would be very expensive.