Design development of a flywheel energy storage system for isolated Pacific Island communities

Many Pacific Island Countries (PICs) lack the benefit of electrification in their outer lying regions, particularly on remote islands. Consequently, alternative power sources have been investigated for such situations and are widely reported; for example: wind, wave, tidal and solar generation. In isolation these technologies provide heavily disrupted electrical power, unless backed by a substantial and thereby expense power storage system. More recently, the emergent micro grid concept has facilitated the integration of these discrete power sources and has therefore extended their temporal utility, making them more useful to their host communities. However, with the addition of an energy storage device within the micro grid architecture (typically a battery bank) further enhancements to the around-the-clock accessibility of electrical power can be readily achieved for such system users. This paper explores the feasibility of developing a new, low speed Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS) for use in the pacific region by small and isolated communities. Also, the specific electrical power needs, of the outlying communities, are presented prior to technical solutions being sought. Optimized flywheel performance, electro-mechanical coupling, safety and environmental impact are all addressed in the development, alongside other crucial technical consideration and state-of-the-art technological developments. The reported work is leading to the practical implementation of a FESS bound micro grid in remote Oceania.