Qnetic Energy’s Flywheel for Medium-Duration Mechanical Energy Storage: It Relies on a Contactless, Frictionless, and Wear-Free Rotor

     Flywheels are typically used for very short-duration energy storage on the scale of minutes and seconds and to enhance spinning reserve on power grids. Qnetic Energy has developed a new design that can store energy for longer periods of time, for 4-12 hours. It is an example of mechanical energy storage. Energy is stored as kinetic motion. 

     The company notes that its design has many advantages over the lithium-ion batteries commonly used on power grids. It does not degrade like lithium batteries and other chemical batteries do. There is no danger of fires like there are with lithium batteries. It can charge and discharge multiple times in a day, whereas lithium batteries are cycled no more than once per day to preserve lifespan. This allows it to generate more arbitrage revenue. It does not lose efficiency in weather extremes, cold or hot, like lithium batteries do. Lifetime costs are projected to be lower than lithium batteries. They project that once developed, the costs will be half that of lithium batteries. It has no lithium, cobalt, nor any component dependent on China for supply or supply chains.

     While the technology is not dependent on China for components, it does, apparently, have a technology center in Shanghai. In August 2026, Qnetic began construction of its 200-kWh “Pulsar” Prototype at its test facility and technology center in Shanghai. Pulsar is the company’s alpha prototype. Thus, if testing shows that the design needs to be tweaked, there will be further prototypes, as is often the case with new technologies.

“According to the engineering partner, Qnetic’s flywheel system stores substantially more energy than conventional high-speed spin test applications. As a result, the associated containment and safety requirements are exceptional and operate on a scale rarely encountered in existing testing infrastructure.”

     Once the prototype is built, it will commence validation testing.

“A rotor spins at nearly three times the speed of sound inside a vacuum enclosure, supported by magnetic bearings that virtually eliminate friction. When electricity is needed, the rotating mass drives a generator, returning power to the grid.”

“Because the system relies on no electrochemical reactions, Qnetic says its technology can operate for decades with minimal degradation while offering rapid response times, unlimited cycling capability, and eliminating both fire risk and dependence on critical minerals.”

“The 200-kWh Pulsar system is designed for applications including AI data centers, renewable energy time shifting, grid stabilization, microgrids, and industrial energy resilience.”

“The company is headquartered in New York with additional locations in Sacramento, Shanghai, Singapore, and Germany. Qnetic was founded by Michael Pratt (CEO) and Loïc Bastard (CTO).”

     The company recently completed construction of a production center in Sacramento, California. It has a factory and assembly floor designed specifically for low-volume assembly, testing, and quality validation. The company has recently joined the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) deRISKED program, sponsored directly by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

     Recent testing confirms a 97.3% conversion efficiency. This is compared to efficiencies between 85% and 95% for lithium-ion batteries and 95% for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, both of which are used on power grids.

     The company’s commercialization plans, shown below, are ambitious. They plan to get from the current prototype testing period to production and deployment of 3500 units annually beginning in 2030.

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A carbon-fiber rotor spinning in a vacuum. That's the battery: No chemistry inside. It can't degrade and it can't burn. Designed to run for 30 years. Qnetic Energy. Invest in Qnetic — Regulation CF

Revolutionising Energy Storage with Qnetic. Qnetic Energy. Website. Discover Long-Duration Flywheel Storage | Qnetic

Qnetic Aligns with Major California Utility as EPRI Evaluates Flywheel Performance. September 12, 2026. Qnetic Energy. News. Qnetic Aligns with Major California Utility as EPRI Evaluates Flywheel Performance - Qnetic

Pulsar Motor Reaches 130 kW Output at 97.3% Efficiency. Qnetic Energy. News. September 15, 2026. Pulsar Motor Reaches 130 kW Output at 97.3% Efficiency  - Qnetic

Qnetic Begins Construction of the World’s Largest Flywheel Energy Storage Test Facility and Assembles First 200-kWh “Pulsar” Prototype. Qnetic Energy. News. August 12, 2026. Qnetic Builds World's Largest Flywheel Test Facility

Qnetic Sacramento Production Center Completed. Qnetic Energy. News. September 12, 2026. Qnetic Sacramento Production Center Completed - Qnetic