Beacon Power Corp. (Nasdaq: BCON) designs and develops products and services to support stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid operation. Its primary business is to commercialize its patented flywheel energy storage systems.

The company today announced it has created and tested an integrated matrix of 10 high-powered flywheels that will be produced this year. The 10 flywheels operate together to absorb and supply a full megawatt (MW) of electricity. Located in Massachusetts, the system will be the first of up to 5MW of flywheel-based regulation capability.

“This is another significant achievement in our company’s history and for the electric power industry,” Bill Capp, Beacon president and CEO stated in the press release. “We’ve proven that a matrix of our Smart Energy 25 flywheels, together with associated electronics, software and other components, can store and release a megawatt of electricity. In recent weeks our flywheel production rates have ramped up with continued good results. Based on this progress, we’re looking forward to responding to live ISO signals in the near future.”

Previously, Beacon built and ran individual flywheels to prepare for its first full MW implementation. In light of internal testing of the 10-flywheel system, the company realized its 1MW Smart Energy Matrix can boost and decrease to absorb and supply a full MW of power.

The company last month announced the ISO New England Alternative Technologies Pilot Program, which will provide revenue for regulation services until permanent market rules have been developed, which is expected to take about 18 months.

Beacon will soon begin testing a system, working with ISO New England, in which the matrix will respond to actual ISO test signals to absorb and supply power. Beacon plans to meet its scheduled interconnect live to the grid by November 18.

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