Seems to me that anything other than doing some trading on this stock while it is in BK is just throwing you money away. I think the technology is a combination of the wrong and bad technology for utility grid regulation. And apparently the market for it agreed.
1. i can't find any actual specifications for the Beacon units but all flywheel technologies i have seen are meant for 10-30 seconds of backup power. After that they go off-line. regulation gone. Makes it unreliable.
2. if, as i have read, the Beacon unit is 85% efficient, that is horrible. there is far better technology available in smaller units that would certainly work on larger systems. Keep in mind, these run continuously meaning they continuously waste 15% of the power. If they are 'regulating' coal fired plants, think of the added CO2 they are producing. renewable energy is still a very small percentage of generated power.
3. Generators and even battery systems only run when needed which is infrequent so they still end up being far more efficient than the flywheel that has to be on-line continuously. Generators are also available for hours if needed. Not an expert but i understand nuclear and coal fired power plant can't respond in seconds but can ramp up over 15-30 minutes to meet demands.
4. They probably thought they's ride the 'Green' movement, but in the end, it comes down to economics. its all about the $'s. The added cost of these systems will be paid by the users in rate increases, or by smaller profit and shareholder value. both of which Utilities want to avoid.
Patience and Alcohol
