Could we use sand as a battery?

Remember building sandcastles as a kid? The sand got quite warm, didn't it? That property of sand may have spawned an exciting new technology! A Finnish company, Polar Night Energy (PNE) has created a unique, green method of storing heat energy.

Wind and solar energy are incredibly beneficial, but cannot provide constant electricity. As these variable electricity sources proliferate, engineers search for better energy storage systems. When they do, sand probably doesn't come immediately to mind. Yet sand holds heat really well, even at temperatures of over 1,000º Celsius. And it's safe, cheap and abundant! So why not use sand to store energy? PNE is doing just that!

First, they pack hundreds of tons of sand into a large, insulated steel silo. Then they heat it with wind or solar energy, storing the heat to be converted later by an energy provider into electricity, hot water or steam. The heat silo can hold heat for months with minimal loss, and can be regularly replenished by the wind and the sun.

Although PNE's work is in early stages, their sand battery is now warming houses, offices, factories, and swimming pools as it is being piloted in Europe, specifically in Kankaanpää, Finland. To supply heating, they have also teamed with district energy provider Vatajankoski, and have received local government support. The mostly local company also offers custom designed individual heat storage, and full energy systems.

PNE's concept and technology have enormous potential to scale up and help meet the world's desperate need for innovative green energy solutions.

Do you like this idea? Could sand batteries create steady energy flow from wind and solar devices?" Drop a line in the comments below!

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