A renewable energy generation system includes a drive motor, a flywheel in mechanical communication with the drive motor, a generator in mechanical communication with the flywheel, a charge controller in electrical communication with the generator, a plurality of charge controller switches in electrical communication with the charge controller, a plurality of batteries in electrical communication with a respective charge controller switch, and a power management module in electrical communication with the plurality of charge controller switches. The drive motor effectuates rotation of the flywheel to generate stored rotational energy which is transferred to the generator as a load is placed upon the generator to maintain a constant speed of the drive motor. The power management module selectively opens or closes a charge controller switch to permit or inhibit the flow of electrical energy to a respective battery to reduce the electrical load placed upon the generator and drive motor.

A superconducting magnetic energy storage system (SMES). The SMES includes a toroidally wound super conducting magnet having a toroidal magnetic core with a charging winding and a discharging winding. The charging winding and discharging winding are wound on the toroidal magnetic core. The SMES also includes a DC power source, the DC power source operable to provide DC current to the charging winding of the toroidally wound superconducting magnet, and a modulator operably connected to the DC power source and the charging winding, the modulator operable to modulate at least a portion of the DC current applied to the charging winding of the superconducting magnet. The energy is stored in a magnetic field of the superconducting magnet by applying a current to the charging winding of the superconducting magnet, and energy is withdrawn from the magnetic field by a current flowing in the discharging winding.

The present disclosure is directed to a system for electric energy storage. The system includes at least one energy cell. The energy cell has a plurality of weights, a carriage, a trolley, a belt and a main drive. The system is configured to move vertically the weights and to store the weights on either an upper portion or a lower portion of the energy cell. The system is charged or discharged by moving the weights from the lower portion to the upper portion or from the upper portion to the lower portion. The present disclosure also provides for a method for electric energy storage.

This compressed air storage power generation device 10 is provided with: a power demand receiving unit 60 which receives in real-time the power demand value of consumer equipment 3; a power supply adjustment device 19 which adjusts the amount of power generated by a generator 15; and a control device which has a power generation amount control unit 17a for controlling the power supply adjustment device 19 so as to supply the consumer equipment 3 in a timely fashion with power corresponding to the power demand value received by the power demand receiving unit 60.

A kinetic energy storage system (KESS) incorporating a very large revolving ring. The ring is levitated magnetically and rotates in place along a defined raceway associated with the levitating apparatus. Power electronics are able to store energy in the form of accelerated rotation of the ring, and are able to reclaim that energy by using the slowing of the ring to drive electricity regenerators. Specific material and size requirements are described for some of the embodiments, and various manners of maximizing the angular velocity of revolution to enable greater energy storage capacity are detailed.

A system may include a flywheel including one or more plates and coupled at a central axis of rotation to a flywheel bearing, the flywheel being adapted to rotate about the central axis. A system may include a flywheel housing providing vertical support to the flywheel bearing. A system may include the flywheel bearing coupling the flywheel to the flywheel housing. A system may include a motor assembly including a motor adapted to convert an input electrical current to rotational momentum by spinning up the flywheel, the motor further being adapted to convert the rotational momentum of the flywheel into an output electrical current. A system may include a flywheel coupling adapted to couple the motor assembly with the flywheel and impart rotational force between the motor and the flywheel.

A stored energy power source uses a wound-rotor induction machine (WRIM) to receive energy from a prime mover via a rotating shaft, provide magnetization reactive energy from a self-excited AC capacitor bank, store the energy in N energy storage elements (ESEs) via tertiary windings, and discharge the ESEs to deliver energy via a secondary winding to a load producing output. Each discharging ESE contributes to a total flux at the secondary winding to sum the individual ESEs voltages. These voltages can be stepped up or down by a transformation ratio between the secondary winding and each of the tertiary windings. A flywheel may be coupled to the shaft to store and delivery kinetic energy. Load factor power control can be used to stabilize the output voltage. The source may be configured to allow for the bi-directional flow of energy between the ESEs, the flywheel and the load. The WRIM provides a safe, reliable and efficient system to provide high-level AC and DC output voltages.

A system for gravity-powered storage including a substantially vertical shaft, the substantially vertical shaft disposed underground, the substantially vertical shaft spanning a height, at least one module disposed within the shaft, the module comprising a weight, at least one module driver assembly affixed within the substantially vertical shaft, the module driver assembly comprises an electric motor/generator and a conveyor component disposed within the shaft, the conveyor component coupled to the module driver assembly, the conveyor component affixed to at least one module, the conveyor component configured to move the module within the shaft via the module driver assembly.

Heat energy storage systems described in this disclosure can be used for long-term storage of large amounts of thermal energy. In some cases, such systems receive electrical energy from renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines. Using novel techniques, the heat energy storage systems covert the electrical energy to thermal energy that is stored in hot materials such as molten silicon, molten salts, or any other material that can store large amounts of heat. The heat energy storage systems incorporate extremely good thermal insulation of the thermal energy storage tank that contains the hot materials. The systems are also configured to release thermal energy in an efficient manner to an electricity-producing steam turbine using novel heat exchanger systems and techniques that are described. The energy storage systems described herein have a higher overall real-world efficiency than energy storage systems currently available.

A controller for controlling an energy discharge from an energy saving device to a power grid. The system includes decision logic to implement a local response responsive to events currently occurring in a power grid and in addition remote commands sent from a remote location.