Will_NP1 Energy_NN1 Storage_NN1 Play_VV0 a_AT1 Big_JJ Role_NN1 in_II the_AT Electric_JJ Grid_NN1 ?_? 
More_DAR than_CSN 200_MC tops_NN2 spin_VV0 in_II vessels_NN2 half-buried_NN1 in_II the_AT dirt_NN1 outside_II Stephentown_NP1 ,_, N.Y._NP1 ,_, a_AT1 town_NN1 near_II the_AT Massachusetts_NP1 state_NN1 line_NN1 ._. 
Inside_II the_AT vessel_NN1 a_AT1 vacuum_NN1 permits_VVZ each_DD1 top_NN1 to_TO rotate_VVI as_RG many_DA2 as_CSA 16,000_MC times_NNT2 per_II minute_NNT1 ,_, despite_II the_AT fact_NN1 that_CST each_DD1 weighs_VVZ more_DAR than_CSN one_MC1 metric_JJ ton_NNU1 ,_, thanks_NN2 to_II its_APPGE steel_NN1 and_CC carbon-fiber_JJ composition_NN1 ._. 
Such_DA fast_RR spinning_VVG in_II a_AT1 vacuum_NN1 (_( to_TO reduce_VVI friction_NN1 )_) allows_VVZ each_DD1 top_NN1 to_TO store_VVI some_DD 25_MC kilowatt-hours_NNT2 of_IO electricity_NN1 ._. 
When_CS the_AT grid_NN1 's_GE frequency_NN1 gets_VVZ out_II21 of_II22 whack_NN1 --_NN1 that_REX21 is_REX22 ,_, if_CS the_AT 60-times-per-second_MD current_NN1 should_VM reverse_VVI its_APPGE flow_NN1 --_NN1 all_DB the_AT magnetically-levitated_JJ tops_NN2 speed_VV0 up_RP ,_, slow_VV0 down_RP or_CC flip_VV0 direction_NN1 to_TO ensure_VVI the_AT grid_NN1 stays_VVZ in_II tune_NN1 ._. 
All_DB told_VVN ,_, Beacon_NP1 Power_NP1 's_GE flywheels_NN2 could_VM provide_VVI 20_MC megawatts-worth_JJ of_IO such_DA frequency_NN1 regulation_NN1 as_CSA well_RR as_CSA short-term_JJ energy_NN1 storage_NN1 for_IF the_AT state_NN1 grid_NN1 ._. 
The_AT only_JJ problem_NN1 is_VBZ that_CST Beacon_NP1 's_GE owner_NN1 went_VVD bankrupt_JJ in_II the_AT process_NN1 of_IO putting_VVG the_AT "_" alternating_JJ "_" into_II alternating_VVG current_JJ --_NN1 after_II taking_VVG a_AT1 loan_NN1 for_IF $39.5_NNU million_NNO from_II the_AT U.S._NP1 Department_NN1 of_IO Energy_NN1 ._. 
"_" Our_APPGE company_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN operating_VVG at_II a_AT1 loss_NN1 ,_, "_" Beacon_NP1 Power_NN1 CEO_NN1 Bill_NP1 Capp_NP1 said_VVD November_NPM1 1_MC1 in_II prepared_JJ statement_NN1 &lsqb;_( pdf_NNU &rsqb;_) explaining_VVG the_AT bankruptcy_NN1 ._. 
"_" Our_APPGE goal_NN1 in_II taking_VVG this_DD1 action_NN1 is_VBZ to_TO minimize_VVI job_NN1 loss_NN1 and_CC to_TO continue_VVI to_TO find_VVI ways_NN2 to_TO apply_VVI our_APPGE innovative_JJ technology_NN1 in_II the_AT frequency_NN1 regulation_NN1 and_CC energy_NN1 storage_NN1 markets_NN2 ._. "_" 
The_AT good_JJ news_NN1 is_VBZ that_CST the_AT flywheels_NN2 are_VBR still_RR making_VVG money_NN1 --_NN1 not_XX enough_RR to_TO keep_VVI Beacon_NP1 in_II business_NN1 but_CCB enough_RR to_TO potentially_RR pay_VVI back_RP the_AT American_JJ taxpayer_NN1 ._. 
The_AT flywheels_NN2 also_RR represent_VV0 a_AT1 growing_JJ trend_NN1 in_II electricity_NN1 grids_NN2 worldwide_RL --_JJ storage_NN1 ._. 
Sodium_NN1 sulfur_NN1 batteries_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN used_VVN to_TO store_VVI electricity_NN1 from_II Japan_NP1 's_GE grid_NN1 since_II 2002_MC and_CC to_TO back_VVI up_RP Xcel_NP1 Energy_NN1 's_GE wind_NN1 farms_NN2 in_II Minnesota_NP1 since_II 2008_MC ._. 
Molten_JJ salts_NN2 help_VV0 a_AT1 power_NN1 plant_VVI in_II Sicily_NP1 store_VV0 the_AT sun_NN1 's_GE heat_NN1 to_TO turn_VVI into_II electricity_NN1 at_II night_NNT1 and_CC on_II cloudy_JJ days_NNT2 ._. 
Even_RR water_NN1 pumped_VVD uphill_RL at_II various_JJ sites_NN2 across_II the_AT U.S._NP1 and_CC air_NN1 compressed_VVN into_II an_AT1 underground_JJ cavern_NN1 in_II Alabama_NP1 ,_, among_II other_JJ places_NN2 ,_, store_VV0 electrical_JJ energy_NN1 when_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ cheap_JJ and_CC give_VV0 it_PPH1 back_RP when_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ expensive_JJ ._. 
Such_DA storage_NN1 is_VBZ considered_VVN vital_JJ to_TO help_VVI intermittent_JJ renewable_JJ resources_NN2 ,_, such_II21 as_II22 the_AT wind_NN1 and_CC sun_NN1 ,_, play_VV0 a_AT1 bigger_JJR role_NN1 in_II U.S._NP1 --_NN1 and_CC global_JJ --_JJ energy_NN1 supply_NN1 ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 may_VM be_VBI that_CST Beacon_NP1 's_GE flywheels_NN2 are_VBR simply_RR too_RG expensive_JJ to_TO compete_VVI with_IW the_AT other_JJ technologies_NN2 on_II offer_NN1 ._. 
"_" But_CCB they_PPHS2 last_VV0 a_AT1 very_RG long_JJ time_NNT1 and_CC that_DD1 makes_VVZ them_PPHO2 attractive_JJ in_II some_DD applications_NN2 ,_, especially_RR where_CS the_AT system_NN1 is_VBZ cycled_VVN very_RG often_RR --_JJ that_REX21 is_REX22 ,_, where_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ discharged_VVN and_CC charged_VVN repeatedly_RR across_II a_AT1 short_JJ time_NNT1 period_NN1 ._. "_" 
A_AT1 new_JJ analysis_NN1 published_VVD November_NPM1 17_MC in_II Science_NN1 by_II Kamath_NP1 and_CC colleagues_NN2 found_VVD that_CST batteries_NN2 are_VBR rapidly_RR becoming_VVG cheaper_JJR and_CC allow_VV0 for_IF storing_VVG electricity_NN1 generated_VVN when_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ not_XX in_II demand_NN1 (_( for_REX21 instance_REX22 ,_, during_II the_AT strong_JJ winds_NN2 that_CST blow_VV0 late_RR at_II night_NNT1 when_RRQ lights_NN2 are_VBR off_RP and_CC factories_NN2 typically_RR shut_VVN down_RP )_) and_CC using_VVG it_PPH1 when_CS it_PPH1 is_VBZ (_( daytime_NNT1 peaks_NN2 )_) ._. 
