Reinventing the Flywheel in Massachusetts. By Hiawatha Bray, BGlobe, September 15, 2008. "Even electric utilities can use a little extra power now and then. Usually, they get it by burning more coal, oil, or gas. Beacon Power [of Tyngsboro, Mass.,] says it has a better idea: massive rotating flywheels that store power like giant alkaline batteries spinning at twice the speed of sound. 'At the end of the day, it's a box of energy,' said Bill Capp, president... The idea is to fill it up when power demand is low, by using electric motors to spin the flywheels. Then the whirling wheels are connected to generators to release the power when it's needed... The company is building its first large-scale commercial system, capable of storing and releasing 5 million watts of power… The company is also awaiting final approval to build a 20 million watt system In Stephentown, N.Y., just west of the Massachusetts state line."
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