Although my little fun fact doesn’t apply to THIS flywheel generator, I recently learned, that flywheel generators are used all over Europe to stabilise the Continental Europe Synchronous Area: They are constantly kept spinning and because of their inertia they level any voltage drops and peaks they encounter. Learning this blew my mind because I never would’ve thought that such a simple technology was used to stabilise our electricity grid.
To power the magnetic coils that provide plasma containment for an experimental fusion reactor, in order to research how to create a self-sustaining fusion reaction.
Such an achievement would be a watershed moment in human history, and most likely would usher in a new technological age of energy production.
Yes, but what is the actual purpose?
Although my little fun fact doesn’t apply to THIS flywheel generator, I recently learned, that flywheel generators are used all over Europe to stabilise the Continental Europe Synchronous Area: They are constantly kept spinning and because of their inertia they level any voltage drops and peaks they encounter. Learning this blew my mind because I never would’ve thought that such a simple technology was used to stabilise our electricity grid.
To power the magnetic coils that provide plasma containment for an experimental fusion reactor, in order to research how to create a self-sustaining fusion reaction.
Such an achievement would be a watershed moment in human history, and most likely would usher in a new technological age of energy production.
And it’s just decades away
As is tradition.
Thank you.