BOLBORETA INNOVA GROUP / BOLBORETA INVESTIGA / IDEAS / INERLEV
InerLev
Advancing clean and stable energy storage
Development and validation of high-speed flywheels for energy storage in renewable power grids.
Energy
Inertial‑physics‑based energy innovation
Spain
David Yáñez
May 2025
Ongoing
3
Financing, hypothesis development, patent management
CURRENT PHASE OF THE PROJECT
1
Problem DEFINITION
2
Hypothesis
3
Research for hypothesis validation
4
results ANALYSIS
5
Publication
WHAT THE PROJECT IS ABOUT
This project focuses on identifying and overcoming the barriers that have so far limited the widespread adoption of high‑speed flywheels. Our goal is to unlock their full potential as highly efficient systems for grid stabilization, while expanding their application to energy backup and short‑ to medium‑term storage.
Their ideal use case lies in intraday operation: capturing and storing renewable energy during off‑peak hours—when production exceeds demand—and injecting it back into the grid during peak demand periods. This technology stands out for its seamless compatibility and complementarity with other storage and smart‑grid solutions, including supercapacitors, batteries, and pumped‑storage hydropower.
One of its key advantages is independence from harmful chemical components, positioning it as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative within the energy ecosystem. Combined with long service life, high scalability, minimal maintenance requirements, and ultra‑fast response times, flywheel technology becomes a strategic asset for the transition toward a more stable, efficient, and environmentally responsible energy model.
KEY WORDS:
Flywheels
Energy storage
Renewable energies
Grid stability
Advanced materials
High-speed control
Flywheels
Energy storage
Renewable energies
Grid stability
Advanced materials
High-speed control
Research in progress. Information subject to results.
The methodology integrates computational simulation models with physical prototyping through additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and other rapid‑prototyping techniques. This approach enables iterative design refinement through successive testing and feedback cycles.
Following this initial validation phase, the development of a complete low‑power pilot model is planned, allowing system behavior to be evaluated under operating conditions closer to real‑world deployment.
Research in progress. Information subject to results.
Research in progress. Information subject to results.
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Advanced energy: when materials science drives stability and efficiency
The project centers on the development of a flywheel designed to operate under ultra‑high vacuum conditions, with levitation based on passive magnetic bearings. Unlike hybrid inertial storage systems—which require minimizing electrical losses and often depend on low‑gain control systems—this approach eliminates that dependency. This is achieved through an innovative permanent‑magnet topology combined with carefully selected materials optimized for dynamic performance.
With this architecture, it becomes possible to significantly reduce common losses in such devices—such as Joule losses and eddy currents—while simultaneously ensuring the required level of dynamic stability. Experimental validation of this hypothesis will pave the way for a high‑performance energy storage solution designed for energy backup applications beyond the intraday range.
TEAM
David Yáñez Villareal
Industrial Engineer, Master’s Degree in Computational Neuroscience
