There is a niche opportunity in the electricity market across Europe for the provision of additional system/balancing services, decoupled from electricity generation, resulting from the rise in renewable generation. The innovative and unique approach is the development of hybrid-powered flywheels, synergising two proven technologies, flywheels and batteries and application to the electricity system for the first time, to provide security and stability. Hybrid-powered flywheels are resounding success in Formula1 motor racing for rapid acceleration. Schwungrad Energie plans to exploit the concept to enhance system security and stability. The advanced energy storage technology market is forecast to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 12.3% to €27 billion between 2012 and 2020. European countries are aiming to achieve low carbon energy systems by transitioning to renewable sources, to realise their European targets. This requires a higher penetration of intermittent, unpredictable generators (wind/solar). In Ireland, with high winds and relatively weak interconnection, the System Operator has proposed a new payment structure for additional system/balancing services, expanding the market. This makes Ireland an ideal location for the first hybrid-powered flywheel facility before market replication throughout Europe and worldwide as renewable penetration increases in other countries. Schwungrad Energie, an Irish company, was set up to successfully develop, operate and roll out facilities to provide system/balancing services in the electricity sector. The key personnel have expertise and experience in the technical, commercial, managerial and financial areas needed for project success and commercialisation within EU and beyond. Some have previous involvement with successful FP7 projects such as MACCSol. Discussion with a small number of potential key international equity investors are on-going and considerable positive interest has been expressed to fund the project

Decarbonisation of the world’s energy system is needed to reduce CO2 emissions, ensure energy security and increase sustainability of the world’s natural resources. Renewable energy generation technologies such as solar PV and wind can be used a low carbon alternative. However, the use of these less predictable intermittent renewable technologies can lead to grid instability. As more renewables are connected to the system in line with EU legislation, this will become a critical problem throughout the EU. Grid scale energy storage technologies which can be used to store excess power for times of low generation can mitigate the problem, ensuring a balanced supply of power and utilisation the maximum renewable energy generation capacity. The project will leverage two existing energy storage pilot sites to demonstrate the performance of a European manufactured adaptive-flywheel on the Irish and UK transmission grids. During the project, Schwungrad Energie, Adaptive Balancing Power, University of Sheffield and Freqcon will develop an adaptive flywheel battery hybrid energy storage system for dynamic grid stabilisation for initial deployment within both test grid systems prior to EU commercialisation. The demonstration of its functionality in both grids increases the technology readiness level (TRL) of the adaptive flywheel battery hybrid energy storage system from TRL 6 to TRL 8, which allows commercial application and is a requirement for scaling up of the technology post project. As of 2020, similar dynamic grid stabilisation measures will be needed in the EU as well as in global grids in the medium term. This project gives the consortium a stable foundation to access the dynamic grid stabilisation market on a global scale. This will increase the revenue of all EU based SME’s involved in the project, allow the creation of IP and give a return on investment based on partner profit and EU project contribution of 1183% by 2025.