Power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and US-founded Amber Kinetics is trailblazing the deployment of long-duration flywheel energy storage system (FESS) to help reinforce the efficiency and reliability of Meralco’s power distribution network, even with targeted high scale renewable energy (RE) integration into its system.
In a statement to the media, Meralco stated that this pioneering project will allow it “to test and demonstrate Amber Kinetics FESS, as part of initiatives to explore new and clean energy technologies in the Meralco Power Tech Center,” a facility that serves as the utility firm’s research and development (R&D) hub sited at its headquarters in Pasig City.
“The promising partnership between Meralco and Amber Kinetics paves the way for a clean energy future in the Philippines, as both companies envision the same sustainability agenda,” the power distribution company said.
Meralco qualified the flywheel energy storage of Amber Kinetics, will be the perfect complement to the utility firm’s journey into the renewable energy (RE) investment space as well as on planned supply procurements from clean energy technologies.
“Meralco and Amber Kinetics are giving us a glimpse of the future as they light the way in energy storage technology by introducing the use of long-duration flywheel energy storage systems in the country,” the power company stressed.
In particular, Meralco indicated that energy storage system shall underpin its propounded development of 1,500 megawatts of RE projects that shall be concretized in the next seven years.
“Meralco seeks to provide consumers with a competitive power supply, all while placing environmental protection and sustainability as key priorities,” the utility firm noted.
In the genre of energy storage systems being advanced for commercial rollout, flywheel energy storage is seen to have very competitive levelized cost throughout its life cycle plus the longer duration of its storage capability; and it is also an environmentally friendly technology because it does not have concerns like waste disposal, which is a case for lithium-ion batteries.
With RE installations thriving as key component of the country’s energy transition agenda, battery storage will be the much-needed technology coupling that shall be amalgamated into the system, so that electricity services to the consumers can be guaranteed without the unwarranted disruptions.
As emphasized by Meralco, “Amber Kinetics energy storage is distinguished for its four (4) hours discharge duration, non-degradation in performance and long lifespan, with the flywheel clocking in at a 30-year design life.”
It was likewise pointed out that the Amber Kinetics flywheel storage has unmatched sustainability features because “the technology is made up of reclycable steel, and does not contain nor emit any hazardous materials.” ###