Pentadyne Ships 500th Flywheel System; Installed Fleet Amasses 2M Hours
Pentadyne Power Corp. announced that it has shipped its 500th flywheel energy storage system. In addition, the company announced that the installed fleet of Pentadyne flywheel energy storage systems – primarily used with large-scale uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems instead of lead-acid batteries – has amassed a total of two million hours of operation.
The company’s first commercial installation, at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, has amassed more than 35,000 hours of operation since commissioning in March 2004.
Pentadyne President & CEO Mark McGough said, "These two significant milestones occurring within a few days of each other underscores the rapid and growing acceptance of our product in the marketplace. UPS users are looking for the most energy-efficient reliable alternative to lead-acid batteries, and they are clearly finding it in our product. Considering that we’ve shipped nearly 90% of those 500 units in the last 24 months, the growth rate is astounding."
Fibernet, a colocation center based in Orem, Utah, took delivery this week of Pentadyne’s 500th flywheel system, which they purchased through Emerson Network Power/Liebert.
"The 500th Pentadyne-made flywheel is the second one purchased by Fibernet, and will be used with a 150-kVA Liebert UPS," said Pentadyne Vice-President of Sales & Service Johnny Gonzales. "Their first Pentadyne-made Liebert FS flywheel, which they purchased 12 months ago, has been operating flawlessly with a 225-kVA Liebert UPS at Fibernet’s state-of-the-art Class A ’smart building.’"
According to Fibernet CFO J. Lee Livingston, "We were skeptical about flywheels. But the ability to rid ourselves of the hazards, maintenance and poor reliability of lead-acid batteries, coupled with the reliability and lower operating costs of the flywheel were convincing. We now have a year’s worth of battery-free and fault-free operation under our belt. So when our growth demanded expansion of our power protection capabilities, it was an easy decision to address that with another flywheel-based UPS."
