Technology Overview

This chapter focuses on flywheel technology, a method of storing energy in the form of rotational kinetic energy by spinning a mass around an axis. This technology is used for rapid energy storage and delivery, making it suitable for applications such as frequency regulation and peak load shaving.

Technical Characteristics

There are two main types of flywheels: metal flywheels and composite flywheels. Metal flywheels are typically used for simple, short-duration storage systems, while composite flywheels are suited for applications requiring high rotational speed and durability.

Feature	Metal Flywheel	Composite Flywheel
Material	Metal	Polymer/composite fibers
Application	Short-term storage	Longer-duration storage
Rotational Speed	Lower	Higher
Strength	Lower	Higher

In terms of cost, flywheels generally have lower basic investment costs compared to technologies such as pumped storage and CAES, although costs depend heavily on rotor materials. Flywheel systems offer very high round-trip efficiency, up to 98%, but still experience energy losses during conversion.

Flywheels provide fast response, high reliability, and minimal environmental impact. However, disadvantages include complexity in bearing design and mechanical stress limitations. The technology continues to be developed to improve performance and reduce costs.

Application in Vietnam

There is currently no specific information on large-scale deployment of flywheel technology in Vietnam. Globally, it has been implemented in projects such as the 20 MW Beacon Power system in Pennsylvania (USA) and systems by Amber Kinetics in California and Taiwan.