Pentadyne wins flywheel transit rail project

NYC MTA Flywheel Energy Storage captures regenerative braking power with carbon-fiber flywheels, cutting peak demand and boosting rail efficiency. Backed by NYPA and Pentadyne, the pilot reuses train energy for rapid acceleration and lower emissions.

Pentadyne Power Corporation, a world leader in flywheel energy storage systems, announced that the Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York will use Pentadyne as the supplier of a 2.4 megawatt energy recycling system that will be used to capture, store and reuse braking energy of trains on a station of the Long Island Railroad.

The MTA oversees all of New York City’s world-renowned subways, commuter trains and buses. It is North America’s largest transit authority, providing 2.6 billion passenger trips each year — the equivalent of about one in every three users of mass transit in the United States and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders.

The pilot project has major financial support from the New York Power Authority, following its thermal storage success with Brenmiller Energy, which selected Pentadyne as the supplier.

The project will involve an array of sustainable, environmentally responsible carbon-fiber flywheel systems such as spinning flywheels that capture and store braking energy from slowing trains, then reuse that energy for acceleration.

The concept is similar to that used by hybrid cars, but the hazmat-free flywheel technology is far more rugged and energy efficient than hazardous chemical batteries used in hybrid cars.

The NYCMTA and NYPA thoroughly evaluated a variety of flywheels, chemical ultracapacitor systems and, given the growing use of batteries in renewables, batteries for this new project. They selected Pentadyne to provide a new and improved high-duty-cycle flywheel system based on a demonstration system that exceeded expectations in extensive NYCMTA tests performed several years ago.

Pentadyne’s new and improved version of the original high-duty-cycle flywheel will capitalize on Pentadyne’s extensive commercial experience in the design and manufacture of highly reliable, safe and energy efficient flywheel technology, aligning with NYPA’s software agreement to improve operations.

Pentadyne President & CEO Mark McGough cited this new project as a milestone for the company: “This will be our first deployment in the rail market, building on flywheel frequency regulation experience, and we couldn’t be more gratified that the nation’s largest MTA chose Pentadyne for this landmark project. We are confident that this will lead to many other projects with the MTA of New York City and with other electric rail facilities throughout the nation and abroad.”

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