Researchers from Finland set up the world’s first commercial-scale ‘sand battery’ that can store energy for months.
The sand battery keeps excess power from renewable resources. The storage system increases the temperature of the air, which is then transferred to sand through a heat exchanger. With the melting temperature of the sand, about 100 tons of sand has a high potential to store energy.
Utilizing the same sand in construction, this technology is an inexpensive alternative to lithium, cobalt, and nickel used in other batteries. When energy prices are higher, the energy storage can be used to warm the water and pumped to offices and homes in the region. Sand can also store energy for months, solving the problem of year-round supply.
With much room for improvement, the sand tower can be used by other countries looking into greener alternatives. What do you think of this development?