Flywheel Energy Storage: Challenges in Microgrids

In the last decade, cutting-edge technologies in the field of energy storage have become more popular in the power market. These technologies provide fast energy transfers. Recently, the industry has witnessed the re-emergence of one of the oldest pieces of energy storage equipment, the flywheel. Flywheels have certain advantages over conventional energy storage technologies. One of these advantages is related to the simple structure of energy storage, which involves storing energy in the form of kinetic energy in a rotating mass. While flywheel energy storage systems offer several advantages such as high-power density, fast response times, and a long lifespan, they also face challenges in microgrid applications. This paper aims to address the main issues associated with flywheel energy storage and briefly review these challenges.