Beacon Power gets $5m for PA flywheel energy storage plant

Beacon Power Corporation has received a $5-million state grant toward construction of a 20-megawatt (MW) flywheel energy storage plant in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania.

“This is remarkable new technology that will help lower the cost of electricity in the long run,” said US Representative Lou Barletta (R, Pennsylvania). “Storing energy and putting it back into the grid when it’s needed could be a game-changer as we try to reduce the cost of energy. Additionally, projects like this will bring significant economic, environmental, and efficiency benefits to Pennsylvania’s power grid. It will also create new jobs and boost the local economy.”

Bill Capp, president and CEO of Beacon Power, said his company expects to begin construction of the plant later this year.

Beacon’s energy storage plant is designed to provide a grid-stabilizing service known as frequency regulation by effectively “recycling” electricity to balance its supply and demand on a moment-to-moment basis. Unlike conventional fossil-fuel generators that are typically used to provide this service, Beacon’s flywheel technology consumes no fuel, produces zero emissions, and can perform faster and more cost-effectively, the company says.

In addition to the $5 million state grant, the $53-million Hazle Township plant was also awarded a $24-million smart-grid stimulus grant from the US Department of Energy. Beacon Power recently completed construction of its first 20-MW flywheel frequency regulation plant, now operating in Stephentown, New York.

The facility uses fast-rotating rims made of a carbon-fibre composite material to store excess and renewably generated grid energy as kinetic energy that can be tapped when demand rises or power from wind or solar sources is unavailable. The rims spin on magnetic bearings in a vacuum to minimize energy loss from friction.