Abstract: A flywheel for storing inertial energy is integral with a rotor which is rotatable around a stator. The stator has main windings that provide a number of poles for rotating the rotor and auxiliary control windings that provide a number of poles different from the number of poles provided by the main windings. When currents are supplied to the main windings, the rotor and hence the flywheel are rotated. When control currents are supplied to the auxiliary control windings, radial forces acting on the rotors are generated thereby to support the rotor out of contact with the stator.