Flywheel energy storage can be the lifeline for so many people around the world. It can provide backup energy supply whenever power systems get interrupted, reduce our greenhouse emissions, and mitigate climate change. Flywheel energy uses a nearly frictionless high-speed rotor to store a surplus of electricity in the form of kinetic energy that can bridge the gap between short-term and long-term energy by providing power to utility grids when they lose power.
Where does Amber Kinetics fit in?
Amber Kinetics is the world’s leading provider of flywheel kinetic energy storage system (KESS) with the mission to accelerate the world to a cleaner, more sustainable energy.
Amber Kinetics flywheel is the first commercialized four-hour discharge, long duration KESS solution powered by advanced technology. With a two-ton rotor that stores 32 kWh, Amber Kinetics flywheel is engineered to meet the energy storage needs of the modern grid, at low cost and high efficiency.
Amber Kinects has successfully extended the duration of flywheels from minutes to hours, resulting in clean, reliable energy. With 13 years of experience, flawless design and deployment execution, our cumulative flywheel runtime has been 570 thousand hours around the world, powering up to 302,000 houses.
The Importance of Flywheel Energy Storage to the Climate
The key component to reducing our carbon footprint and reversing climate change is energy storage. According to the 2019 Urban Energy Report, energy storage needs to triple from 3% by 2050 to meet the limit requirement of 2°C set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as anything above 2°C could be detrimental to human civilization. To meet this and the target requirements of the 2015 Paris Agreement, fossil-free alternatives must replace the stored fossil fuels within the energy system. The main replacement to fossil fuels is renewable energy. As of 2016, only 18% of primary energy consumption comes from renewable energy sources. With effective energy storage technologies, local energy production can increase the use of renewable energy such as kinetic energy that is more sustainable than solar and wind.
How can more people use energy storage?
To scale longer discharge durations of energy storage, stored energy systems must meet a higher capacity of long-term demand. The shift to renewable energy sources can increase the electrification rates at a global scale, making energy storage more cost-efficient and more readily available. The challenge lies within the balance between energy sources. In 2016 the EU reported that the gross electricity generation from wind and solar was 46%, while 80% of European gas and 90% of imported gas were used for heating and cooling.
Flywheels allow for the production and storage of kinetic energy which allows for clean energy to be converted to into electricity. Using electric motors, it allows for more controlled energy since it operates in a high vacuum environment, making it more reliable and sustainable than traditional energy sources.
Amber Kinetics flywheels paved the way for a cleaner, greener world
Their flywheels are made without any mined materials and are all made from recycled steel. The company prides itself on providing clean, cost-effective flywheels to make the world sustainable.