World’s first sand-powered battery is ready to heat homes
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Researchers say the Finnish innovation could help solve the problem of how to store renewable energy such as wind and solar.
By Emma Gatten, Environment Editor
A battery that uses sand to store heat for months and could help with the green energy transition has been unveiled in Finland in a world first.
The sand battery will be used to provide heating to homes in the city of Kankaanpää in Western Finland, as well as its local swimming pool.
Researchers say it could help solve the problem of how to store renewable energy such as wind and solar as it can be used when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing.
The sand, which can reach temperatures of 600C, provides an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, which rely on expensive and relatively scarce metals and can only store a limited amount of energy.
The initial version installed in Kankaanpää uses 100 tons of sand in a seven-metre-high steel container to store energy on a site at the local power plant which will provide di...
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