There are several existing and emerging alternatives to lead acid batteries to provide backup energy storage for remote powering applications. These alternatives include generator sets, flywheel systems, turbine alternators, fuel cells, and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). Flywheels offer dramatic improvements in performance, require little maintainance, are environmentally friendly in reliability, maintenance, lifetime, and cost over these energy storage technologies. High strength fiber composites, high efficiency electric drives, and frictionless magnetic bearings along with the declining size and cost of electronics have made these advanced flywheels.
