Amber Kinetics: The next frontier in energy storage

MANILA, Philippines — Somewhere inside the De La Salle University Laguna campus lies the product verification and demonstration facility of California-based Amber Kinetics, which is currently the world’s only provider of long-duration flywheel energy storage systems (FESS).

The facility has the look and feel of a futuristic research center, with its ground-mounted solar panels from Union Solar and inverters. But what immediately draws one’s attention are the dozens of dome-shaped structures protruding from the ground. Each steel cylindrical device is called the A32 FESS.

The A32 FESS is the product of Amber Kinetics and is the only FESS in the world that can store 32 kilowatt-hours of energy and discharge it for four hours. Amber Kinetics said the A32 can be configured to discharge power for a maximum of eight hours, delivering kW of constant power. To put this in perspective, one A32 can serve approximately five average Filipino homes for one day.

“Amber Kinetics has engineered a highly efficient flywheel that meets the energy storage needs of the modern grid.” said Bobby Kanapi, Amber Kinetics Philippines Business Development director. “The transition to clean energy is happening in the Philippines. It’s no longer a question of ‘if’, it’s just a matter of ‘how soon’. What Amber Kinetics offers could hasten the transition to clean energy,” Kanapi added.

The flywheel that the A32 employs is one of the earliest mechanical energy storage mechanisms devised by man, like the potter’s wheel and the pedal-powered grinding wheel used to sharpen knives. But the A32 is the first and only long duration flywheel which is why they are fast becoming relevant in today’s environment where establishments and communities require sustainable, and reliable, alternative clean energy solutions. “As companies and utilities look for solutions to bridge the gap between traditional energy generation – e.g., renewables like solar and wind power – they also want something that could replace the chemical-based energy storage system and solutions,” said Kanapi.