Products
Key Energy MPowerTank
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Comprised of a mechanical battery, engineered enclosure, and SENSSA Energy Management & Control System
The Key Energy MPowerTank combines a long duration flywheel from Amber Kinetics, with our Australian engineered, UTS validated above-ground enclosure, and in-house specially developed SENSSATM Energy Management Control System into a turn-key AC-coupled energy storage solution.
Energy Storage
A mechanical battery is essentially a long duration flywheel
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The long duration flywheel stores energy via momentum in a spinning mass of steel. It consists of a large steel mass rotating around an axis.
It stores energy in the form of kinetic energy by accelerating a large multi-tonne steel rotor to high speeds of 150 Hz in a vacuum and magnetically lifted off the bearings to reduce air drag and friction respectively. The inbuilt motor uses electrical power to charge the system by rotating it faster. As the flywheel spins faster, it gathers force to store more energy. The motor becomes an electric generator when energy is extracted from the system as required, and slows down as more energy is extracted.
As there are no chemicals used to store the electricity, there is no risk of fire from the operation of the system. It also maintains full capacity throughout its useful life of 20-30 years.
Specifications
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| Specification | MPowerTank M32 | |
| Energy Capacity (kWh) modular, up to MWh | 32 | |
| Charge & Discharge Power Capacity (kW) | 8 | |
| Charge/Discharge Duration (hours minimum) | 4 | |
| Cycle Design Life (cycles) no daily cycle limit | 11,000 | |
| GHG Emissions | None | |
| Temperature (℃ operating) | -20C to 50C | |
| Round trip efficiency (DC to DC includes self discharge) | >86% | |
| Max output DC current (A) | 13 | |
| DC Input-Output Voltage Range (VDC), nominal | 550 – 750, 650VDC | |
| Self Discharge (Watts, Average over charge/discharge cycle) | <100W (average), <350W (max) | |
| Auxiliary Power (Watts, 240VAC Average over SOC range) | <140W (average), <300W (max) | |
| Full Power Response (mS) | >80mS | |
| Installation Method | Above Ground | |
| Noise (from electronics box) | <65dB(A) | |
| Modularity | 1 to 16 units (32kWh to 512kWh) per array, multiple arrays possible | |
Materials and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Software
Key Energy’s Smart ENergy Storage Solution for Australia (SENSSATM) Energy Management & Control System
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The Smart ENergy Storage Solution for Australia (SENSSA) Energy Management Control System – is our proprietary Australian engineered and manufactured energy management control system. It operates and optimises the solution, controlling the power output of the solution for your home or business by connecting the inverter, power electronics, flywheel management system and other industrial grade monitoring and control hardware into a cloud-based 4G communications, and energy management software.
Most batteries come with basic battery management systems that only handle safety protection. Inverters can sometimes be programmed to schedule a once daily charge and discharge at set times. While this may be sufficient for a regular load profile, it does not work well when the customer has dynamic load profiles (e.g. 24/7 or night production shifts and operations, volatile peak electricity demand levels such as HVAC, motors, machinery etc.), when the wholesale market is particularly high priced, or for sudden high peak demand charges.
This means you may not see your bill reduce materially – despite investing in an expensive solar and battery system! To solve this problem, our SENSSA enables dynamic load following, manages peak charging issues with an AI and machine learning supported trading algorithm. Additionally, our SENSSA unlocks wholesale market selling (at an additional subscription cost) to support trading on the market to earn additional cash.
Energy Storage Control
Decides when and how much power to charge your batteries based on how much available solar and storage is available
Integration
Integrates Australian Standard compliant equipment such as inverters, smart meters, generators and load controls
Cloud-based web monitoring
Watch every second of how your system is operating via our web dashboard and monitoring system
Load prediction & control
Combine thousands of data points together with our AI and Machine Learning models to predict and control your electricity use
Wholesale Market Ready
Automatically sell your excess energy to the wholesale market at the right price for energy market arbitrage (pending Regulator Approval)
Advanced Functionality
Key Energy’s SENSSA unlocks advanced control features and functionality for your whole energy system
SENSSA Additional Functionality
| OEM FMS | Key Energy SENSSA | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Scheduled charge/ discharge | On request | |
| Off-grid / Backup Power | ||
| Load Following | ||
| Time of Use Bill Management | ||
| Demand Charge Reduction | ||
| AI & Machine Learning | ||
| Predictive Analytics | ||
| Energy Arbitrage (Wholesale Pricing / VPP) |
Off-grid MPowerTank Real Time Operations Dashboard via our SENSSA Energy Management & Control System
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Our industrial grade SENSSA Energy Management & Control System provides a real-time view of your power system, with more detailed information and customisable to your needs. This live real project data is of the pilot off-grid system in Armidale, NSW. Learn more about the project.
Safety
Engineered Above Ground Enclosure
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The Amber Kinetics M32 steel flywheel is incredibly safe, and has been designed with safety as a foremost principle, resulting in no history of accidents or catastrophic failure for over 15 years and millions of operational hours. However, we at Key Energy treat safety as our top priority and endeavour to independently verify all claims and mitigate any catastrophic impacts to an acceptable level. At full 32kWh speed, the rotor is spinning at c. 150 Hz, so any risk of catastrophic failure (steel ruptures) must be mitigated to protect people and property.
Key Energy collaborated with University of Technology Sydney (UTS), generously supported by the NSW Government TechVouchers grant program, to validate our safety enclosure design for the 32kWh flywheel. Using the latest in Finite Element Analysis techniques, their Centre for Built Infrastructure and Research (CBIR) experts in concrete and civil engineering created a high fidelity model and ran dozens of simulations through their supercomputer to validate that the Key Energy engineered design would keep people and property safe in the event of a catastrophic failure of the rotor. Proudly made in Australia, using all Australian structural steel and special grade concrete and materials, our above ground enclosure will last as long as the flywheels, protecting them from the weather and animals, and protecting people and property from risk of harm.
32 kWh Enclosure
Our latest commercially available 32kWh enclosure comes in a corrugated stainless steel enclosure, with the option to select custom colours for added cost to fit the aesthetic of your property’s landscape
Configuration
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What’s Included in the MPowerTank System
- Flywheel (Amber Kinetics’ M-series flywheel and e-box, vacuum pump and accessories)
- Above-ground enclosure
- 20kW Inverter – 3 phase, multi-mode (off-grid and on-grid/generator ready), hybrid (solar + battery) inverter
- Key Energy SENSSA Energy Management and Control System (Hardware + Software)
Projects
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Sub-Meter Energy Monitoring and Automatic Control System
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Off-Grid Eco-Accommodation Spins Up in Mudgee, NSW
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Video Off-grid Home Mechanical Battery Pilot in Armidale,NSW
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Video On-grid Mechanical Battery in Perth Hills, WA
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Key Energy Innovation and Test Site
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NSW Off-Grid (Stand Alone Power System) Mechanical Battery Project
Request to see a local MPowerTank
Contact us and mention that you would like to see a local MPowerTank system so we can arrange with your nearest demonstration site!
Early Adopter Offer
If you are the first client to install a mechanical battery in your area and are open to future customers taking a look at your system, you will be able to access a variety of benefits for your project. Simply request a quote and tell us where the project is, and if you’re the first in the area we’ll make the offer to you automatically!
Key Energy’s Design to Discharging Process
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1-2 weeks
Details
Give us a call on or fill in an Enquiry Form to begin the journey of using more of your own power. Tell us about your home or project, energy or lifestyle goals, and ideally have some data available for us to design your project correctly. If your project is simple and you just want one of our MPowerTanks, we will explain the system in detail and answer any questions you may have. For complex projects we will assess the data to give you a high level solution design proposal and rough order of magnitude project costs.
If you agree to continue, one of our technicians or representatives will visit your proposed site to collect additional data if necessary, confirm access and other installation requirements, update the quote if necessary, and talk you through the draft solution design.
1-2 weeks
Details
With an agreement on all the project details you will be provided an accurate final technical plan with scope of works, solution outcomes, possible variations and a total cost of work, as well as areas that could risk fee over-runs, though we try to minimise these as much as possible. Once you understand and are happy with the project proposal, you will be able to sign the contract to begin the delivery process.
2-6 weeks
Details
If you are still building your property or have no pre-existing base slab, then you will need time to prepare the concrete slab to our standardised specification, or we can provide a pre-cast concrete slab. If you have an existing concrete base and location on site to use, we will confirm that it is suitable for the loadings of the MPowerTank. Stock is kept on-shore in our Sydney factory and warehouses in capital cities in Australia, but can be shipped to order to any port destination as required. We generally arrange delivery that suits you or your client’s timing and minimises expensive logistics costs. We can have a unit shipped within the week if you have everything ready.
2-3 days
Details
Before the system is installed Key Energy with prepare all material, installers and certificates before the project starts. Key Energy keeps local stock on hand so depending on location and logistics, delivery can be arranged for a suitable date. Installation usually takes 1-2 days.
Commissioning is the process of turning the system on and providing power to your home or business, and running a series of tests to ensure the system is working. Key Energy performs and monitors a full cycle test, both locally and with remote support, and once tested, hands over the system providing all information on how to operate, troubleshoot and monitor the system
Ongoing
Details
Key Energy will remotely monitor your system for any alarms or faults. We provide SMS alerts to a designated number (or up to 12 email notifications) for any critical faults that need on-site attention. We’ll also provide you the number of a dedicated support engineer. We remind you for your scheduled maintenance, comprising an annual vacuum pump oil inspection, and dust filter cleaning. We continue to provide ongoing support and maintenance to ensure the system is operating as good as it did brand-new.
News
Get the latest product updates and upcoming events from our blog.
FAQs
What is the weight of the M32 Flywheel?
4.8 tonnes, with a 2 tonne rotor. The enclosure is 200 kilograms for 24kWh and <4 tonnes for the 32kWh flywheel
What is it made of?
Steel (carbon levels and type not disclosed to us).
How fast does it spin?
Between 50-150 Hz, or 3,000 – 9,000 RPM.
Where are they manufactured?
The flywheel is designed in USA and manufactured in Philippines
The SENSSA and above ground enclosure are all designed and made in Australia.
Who is it best suited to?
- Diesel generator replacement or fuel reduction solution
- Off-grid power
- Rural properties
- Agribusiness customers
- Commercial and industrial
- Farms and irrigation pumping
- Virtual Power Plants (VPP)
Can I use them for off-grid applications?
YES! Our system is purpose designed and built to work in the harsh Australian climate both on-grid and off-grid.
