Mechanical Batteries

High Performance Carbon-Composite Flywheels for Energy Storage

The “new breed” of flywheel under development at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) embodies several novel design concepts for storing electrical energy as rotational energy. The new designs specifically address the requirements of low capital cost, long service life with minimal maintenance, and low rate of self-discharge, features that are essential for satisfying a growing need for cost-effective energy storage.