Revolutionary Sand Battery Stores Renewable Heat for Months, Transforming Green Energy Storage
Discover how a groundbreaking sand battery technology is enabling long-term heat storage from renewable sources, offering an affordable solution to green energy challenges worldwide.
Addressing a major hurdle in renewable energy, an innovative and cost-effective solution has emerged.
Finnish company Polar Night Energy has installed the world’s first commercial sand battery in the city of Kankaanpää. This pioneering system can store heat generated by solar panels and wind turbines for several months, enabling buildings to be heated in winter using energy captured during the autumn.
The system consists of a steel cylinder measuring 4 by 7 meters, filled with approximately 100 tons of low-grade construction sand. Using affordable green electricity, the sand is heated to 500–600ºC. At this temperature, the sand remains solid (it melts at 1700ºC) while efficiently retaining heat with minimal losses.
When conventional electricity prices rise, the battery releases hot air to heat water for the centralized heating system. This water then provides low-cost warmth to homes, offices, and even the local swimming pool.
While scaling this technology to power an entire city with green energy remains uncertain, the sand battery represents a significant advancement. Another key challenge is developing efficient methods to store electricity directly; although sand stores heat effectively, converting it back to electricity currently results in substantial energy losses, limiting overall system efficiency.
This breakthrough holds great promise for industries such as food and beverage production, textiles, and pharmaceuticals, which typically rely on fossil fuels for heat. By adopting this technology, these sectors can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and move towards a greener future.
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