Table 7.

Overview of FES innovation system functions.

	Functions	Automotive sector	Electricity sector
1	Knowledge development and diffusion	Knowledge development began decades ago, but motorsports consortia suddenly and dramatically accelerated it.	Basic research at universities but slow diffusion to industry.
2	Influence on the direction of search	Strong vision of clean energy storage and large potential in several markets. Demand most strongly articulated in the automotive sector, where the first flywheels are already being used in buses to reduce fuel consumption and ease compliance with EURO-X emission norms.	Demand not articulated yet. Unfavorable regulatory frameworks in the electricity sector and unclear business case for storage explain low interest of new actors and investors to participate in FES development.
3	Entrepreneurial experimentation	Strong experimentation thanks to motorsports.	Limited technical experimentation. Many applications are discussed but overall market experimentation remains weak.
4	Market formation	Motorsports acted as a nursing market. Public transport (buses) is currently developing as a bridging market. Market for passenger cars discussed as largest consumer market in this sector.	While markets for LSF exist, few signs of market formation for HSF are observed. Several promising potential markets are discussed: control reserve, stabilization of island grid, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), home storage of renewable energies, etc.
5	Legitimation	Good legitimacy thanks to demand for onboard storage, fit between mental frames and mechanical core competences of the incumbents (rotation, high-speed, and kinetic energy).	Low legitimacy: no demand for clean energy storage, misalignment with current institutional and regulatory frameworks, misalignment with mainstream view of storage (as a chemical battery, not a rotating device). Concerns about the technology because of safety issues.
6	Resource mobilization	Good access to financial resources for larger firms (thanks to motorsports, government subsidies, and co-development with customers).	Good access to financial resources for larger firms (government subsidies and co-development with customers). Small firms struggle to fund demonstrators and access to qualified human resources.
7	Development of positive externalities	Important positive externalities observed first when motorsports adopted micro-HSF and later when automotive incumbents joined the innovation system, translating into an acceleration of technology development.	Few positive externalities observed because of volatile TIS participation and several weakly performing system functions leading to overall stagnant situation.