A team of U of G mechanical engineering students won the Scotiabank EcoLiving Student Leadership Award, worth $10,000, for developing the Flywheel Energy Storage System. The winning students are Cody Carey, Melissa Love, Thomas Marshall and Wesley Romak.

“The Flywheel Energy Storage System takes electrical energy from the grid and puts it through the motor to spin the flywheel at high speeds and very high efficiency,” says Carey.

The flywheel spins on magnetic bearings in a vacuum-sealed container to maximize efficiency. The motor converts rotational energy into electrical energy and stores it when not in use.

The flywheel is well suited to the Canadian climate because it can operate in cold temperatures better than traditional batteries, says Love.

The Scotiabank EcoLiving Awards recognize innovators for developing products and services that help reduce energy consumption and costs for consumers while protecting the environment.

Winning the award “has motivated us to continue to develop our product into a company,” adds Love.