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Gyrerg: Wind Energy Storage on a Gigawatt-Scale
Gyrerg is a large scale energy storage facility. This conceptual technology generates and stores gigawatt-scale wind energy and has the potential to play a major role in the Net Zero transition, as well as ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply. It will allow the UK to generate and store, in UK waters, energy on a mega scale that is predictable, reliable and safe for the environment. It will also allow the National Grid to maximise the efficiency of wind and solar farms by reducing downtime needs due to supply and demand imbalances or network constraints.
Video: Gyrerg offers gigawatt-scale energy storage
Gyrerg stores imported wind energy from nearby wind farms. It also creates and stores self-generated wind energy with the addition of sails.
The design is a large floating horizontal flywheel which stores mechanical energy by rotating about its vertical axis. It can be sited offshore or floating in a circular trough of water onshore.
Image: Gyrerg can store energy from neighbouring offshore wind farms
Image: With sails, Gyrerg can generate wind energy as well as storing it
Because Gyrerg stores energy mechanically, unlike some battery technology, it does not create the environmental or geopolitical issues that arise with requiring vast quantities of harmful chemicals or rare earth metals.
The energy Gyrerg stores can be delivered as electricity to the end user or used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis.
Image: Gyrerg seen from above