Sand Battery: 13m Tall Energy Storage in Finland

This is a battery made of sand. It’s 13 meters tall, 15 meters across, and has 2,000 tonnes of sand in it. It was just installed in a city in Finland to be its primary heat production plant. Here's how it works...

It takes excess wind and solar power and uses it to superheat the sand to up to 600 degrees C. Sand is incredibly good at holding heat, so with proper insulation, the battery can hold heat for days to months without losing much. Long enough to convert that heat BACK into power and send it
to people all year round.

The sand is not nearly as efficient compared to the lithium-ion batteries you’re using in your phone. But it's cheap, abundant, and sustainable. And could be a great way to deliver constant energy as we rely more on renewable energy sources.

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