By : Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, July 18, 2022
A group of Finnish researchers from the company Polar Night Energy, installed the first fully operational “sand battery”, which can store green energy for months and ensure continuous supply throughout the year.
This device uses low-grade sand that is heated with electricity produced from solar or wind power. The sand stores heat at around 500°C, which can then be used to heat homes in the cold season when energy is more expensive.
This installation of the first commercial system with a sand battery was carried out in Kankaanpää, a city in western Finland. The new design was installed at the Vatajankoski Generating Plant, which supplies electricity to the local district.
The process begins with cheaply produced electricity used to heat the sand to a temperature of up to 500°C by resistance (the same process used in electric heaters). A current of hot air is recirculated into the sand, which loses heat very slowly and is a very effective means of storing it.
Engineers say their battery can keep the sand at around 500°C for months. When energy prices rise, the battery can release high-temperature air to heat water in the district heating system, which in turn generates heat for homes and offices.
“It’s really simple, but we liked the idea of trying something new, of being the first in the world to do it,” said Pekka Passi, director of the Vatajankoski power plant.
Part of the new challenges now will be scaling this technology and using it for electricity as well as heat. This system is so efficient that it is used to supply electricity to the grid. Likewise, storing green energy in the form of heat can also be an opportunity for the industrial sector, where the heat used in the production of food, beverages, textiles or medicines comes from the burning of fossil fuels.
This Meteored portal material has been edited for clarity, style, and length.
Photo : https://polarnightenergy.fi/news
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