Until this new system was developed, capturing kinetic energy required converting mechanical energy into electricity, which would then be converted into chemical energy for long- or short-term storage.
The New York Independent System Operator has defined short-term energy storage devices like flywheels and batteries as frequency regulators, allowing them to participate in regulated markets.
The grid needs short-, medium-, and longer-term storage to run smoothly, and car batteries could most easily meet the short-term need, a process called frequency regulation.