Beacon Power, ISO New England test flywheel storage

Tyngsboro, Mass.-based Beacon Power (Nasdaq: BCON) announced today that it plans to start testing its flywheel storage technology with ISO New England, an independent system operator that oversees transmission grids in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Beacon said it has built and tested an integrated matrix of ten high-power flywheels that operate together to absorb and supply a full megawatt of electricity. Over the next few weeks, Beacon will begin system testing in conjunction with ISO New England, with the flywheel matrix responding to actual ISO test signals to absorb and supply power.

"We've proven that a matrix of our Smart Energy 25 flywheels, together with associated electronics, software and other components, can store and release a megawatt of electricity," said Bill Capp, president and CEO of Beacon, in a statement.

"In recent weeks our flywheel production rates have ramped up with continued good results. Based on this progress, we're looking forward to responding to live ISO signals in the near future."

The flywheel system, located in Beacon's Tyngsboro headquarters, will be the first of up to five megawatts of flywheel-based regulation capability that the company said will be produced this year and commercially deployed.

Last year, Beacon completed successful field testing by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the U.S. Department of Energy (see Beacon flywheels pass regulatory hurdle in New York).

At the time, Beacon said the New York ISO determined that the company's technology is viable for connection to the grid.

In New England, Beacon said the testing announced today will allow it to meet its schedule to interconnect live to the grid and begin performing frequency regulation services under an ISO New England Alternative Technologies Pilot Program.

That program, just approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is scheduled to start on Nov. 18.