On May 20, 2025, following successful product demonstrations, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) and Amber Kinetics (AK) signed an MOU extending their collaboration to promote KHI’s iVSG (Virtual Synchronous Generator) technology with AK’s FESS (Flywheel Energy Storage System). This partnership aims to provide reliability, stability and resiliency to power grids. As renewable energy sources integrate further with power grids, the more unstable it becomes, such as in the major blackout that recently happened in the Iberian Peninsula.

KHI highly evaluated AK’s FESS over chemical batteries due to its superior features like unlimited cycling, no fire or explosion risk, and no environmental disposal issues, as well as AK’s proven track record of over 1.6 million cumulative operating hours.

The combined technologies provide a multi-faceted solution for modernizing power grids. Its primary application is enhancing Grid Stability by providing the inertia and resiliency needed to manage intermittent renewable energy sources. KHI’s iVSG enables power-electronic-based assets to mimic the stabilizing behavior of traditional generators, while AK’s FESS can absorb and dispatch energy instantaneously and repeatedly without efficiency losses. This is crucial for Augmenting Renewable Energy Projects, where flywheels smoothen volatile renewable outputs, ensuring a reliable power supply. This combined capability is ideal for the hundreds of microgrid installations in the Philippines’ pipeline. Beyond grid-scale renewables, this technology is vital for emerging applications. For Electric Vehicle Chargers, FESS can act as a buffer, absorbing energy during low-demand periods and dispatching it to power DC fast chargers. This mitigates grid strain and enables the deployment of fast-charging hubs without expensive grid infrastructure upgrades. In the Telecom sector, FESS offers a reliable, low-maintenance alternative to battery-based Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) for cell towers and data centers, providing instantaneous power during outages to maintain service continuity. Furthermore, FESS’ rapid response time enables Electricity Trading participation through ancillary service markets. Flywheels can perform high-value frequency regulation, adjusting to grid imbalances to generate revenue while enhancing overall grid health.

Edgar Chua, CEO of AK, explains that “The need for the FESS and iVSG combined technology has been recognized by the governments of Japan and the Philippines, both show keen interest and strong support for the new FESS and iVSG technology due to the versatile applications, and overall sustainability.” AK and KHI also paid a courtesy visit to the Philippine Department of Energy, who welcomed the technology for the hundreds of microgrid installations currently in the pipeline, in addition to the growing grid stability requirements due to the increase in renewables.

The partnership’s initial focus is to implement and expand their combined iVSG and FESS technology in Australia, Southeast Asia, and the USA, extending later to Europe and the rest of the world to help create a more reliable and sustainable energy future.

Source: BUSINESS WIRE