Flywheel systems bound to gain ground in the UPS space: analysis

Environmental factors and low-cost have propelled the European flywheel UPS market, according to an analysis from Frost & Sullivan.

The firm, in its analysis, European Flywheel UPS Markets, has shared that the market earned revenues of over €25.4 million in 2007 and estimates that it will reach €58 million in 2014. It highlighted that "green" initiatives have encouraged the gravitation towards environmentally friendly technologies such as flywheel UPS systems. The European Commission energy efficiency action plan has also helped drive the uptake of flywheel UPS systems.

"Although the technology has been in existence for a long time, it has seen widespread acceptance and increased uptake only over the past three or four years," said Frost & Sullivan's programme manager Malavika Tohani. "Flywheel UPS systems use kinetic energy, eliminating harmful emissions and disposal issues and reducing the impact on the environment."

"The total cost of ownership for a flywheel UPS is less than that of the battery-based UPS, primarily because of the lower operational costs," she said. "Moreover, this technology is energy efficient and space saving since it does not require huge storage space for batteries or cooling systems that are a part of conventional UPS systems."

It stated that ongoing efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and prevent climate change have triggered interest in alternative energy storage technologies. As awareness spreads and manufacturers ramp up R&D efforts, flywheel systems are bound to gain ground in the UPS space.

Altair gears up for 1MW battery-based energy storage demonstrator

Altair Nanotechnologies has completed the 500th full depth cycle of a lithium titanate battery developed for the US Navy.

The company termed the development as a significant milestone, as it stated that by getting associated with a large-scale operation like a Navy destroyer, Altair’s battery technology is proving its worth. Plus, this collaboration also paves the way for a “safe, less costly, and environmentally sustainable substitute for turbines that use increasingly costly imported oil.”

The “Mark 0, Characterization Module” allows the Navy to test and better understand the unique properties of Altair batteries. For example, capacity tests show that the battery has lost only about one percent of total capacity. It is anticipated that early next year, Altair will deliver a 1MW battery-based energy storage demonstrator.

Referring to the launch of a new battery backup system, Terry M. Copeland, chief executive officer, Altair said: “Given the number of ships to which Altair’s technology could be applied, this electrical storage and rapid power delivery system could reduce the Navy’s consumption of fuel by tens of millions of gallons each year. Once proven, our technology could be used by, not only the US Navy, but commercial and foreign buyers.”

With an Altair battery installed as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a vessel could avoid the cost of keeping the backup generator online. If there is a problem with the primary generator, the battery would provide enough power to get a second unit up and online.

Altair’s $2.5 million contract is funded as part of a $3.5 million United States Navy programme that includes independent product testing by the Navy. Additional funding of $5 million has been approved by Congress for FY 2008.

US healthcare organisation to eliminate lead-acid batteries

Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota have decided to replace the lead acid batteries used for back-up power in the hospitals’ data center.

The traditional battery backup system is being replaced by an environmentally-safe flywheel system will be used.

The children’s healthcare organisation, which is the seventh largest in the US, has decided to go ahead with VYCON’s VDC flywheel backup system. The VYCON flywheel UPS system has been in operation since April of this year.

Serving as Minnesota’s children’s hospital since 1924, the health care organisation has 332 staffed beds at its two hospital campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

On being part of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota green initiatives, VYCON’s chief marketing officer, Frank DeLattre said the flywheel UPS is superior to batteries in that it is a highly reliable protection system in the event of a power failure, and it does not contain any toxic elements.

The VDC units can replace traditional UPS batteries or work in tandem with batteries to provide instantaneous on demand power.