A company called Polar Night Energy has started using the first commercial sand batteries in Finland.
Unfortunately, wind and sun, the two most important sources of renewable energy, do not always provide the desired energy. Energy can only be produced from these two sources at certain times. Therefore, storing energy is of great importance. There are various batteries and methods for storing energy.
- Salmonella Typhi Increasingly Resistant to Antibiotics
- Spending race between App Store and Play Store! Here is the result
Sand batteries work very efficiently
Each storage method has various advantages and disadvantages such as efficiency, size, location, installation costs, operating costs, lifetime and how long it can store energy. One or more of these methods can be preferred according to environmental factors.
Now, a new one has been added to energy storage methods. A company called Polar Night Energy has started using the first commercial sand batteries in Finland. The system is based on an insulated steel tank about 4 meters wide and 7 meters high.
The thermal energy storage system is made with a simple heat exchanger buried in the center of the sand. When heated to 500-600 degrees Celsius, this system becomes an impressive 8 megawatt-hours of energy storage with a nominal power rating of 100 kW. When needed, this energy can be released as heat in the same way.
The stored heat will be used to feed a district heating system used to deliver heat around the area. The system can then be used to heat buildings and pools. It can also be used for industrial processes that require heat.
This system can be used in multiple locations, making it highly efficient. Polar Night CTO Markku Ylönen makes the following statements about sand batteries:
“It’s really easy to convert electricity into heat. But to get from heat back to electricity, you need turbines and more complex things. As long as we just use the heat as heat, the process is really quite simple.
The company claims that their new system offers up to 99 percent efficiency. With the ability to store heat for months with minimal loss, these sand batteries can be used for many years. The company says that the sand they use must be dry and free of flammable residues. Other than that, there are no special conditions related to sand.
It is seen that this system, where the operating cost is kept to a minimum, is quite efficient. Of course, this system, which has a limited area of use, may not be suitable for every business. However, it is a fact that these heat batteries do their job quite well.
So what do you think about energy storage in sand? Do you think it is an efficient method? You can share your opinions with us in the comments section.
