This clever device is a large steel silo filled with sand (or similar solid material) that is heated via a heat exchanger embedded in the centre, using excess grid electricity – such as that produced during periods of peak demand from renewable sources when the cost of electricity is low. low.
Energy can be stored for months with minimal loss and then recovered as heat when needed. In Finland, this means feeding energy into the local district heating system, which heats homes, buildings and even swimming pools.
The new battery is expected to be 13 m high and 15 m wide, providing 1 MW of power and 100 MWh capacity. According to the companies, this corresponds to the heating needs of the municipality of Pornainen for one week in winter and one month in summer.
However, the new battery will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the central heating system by 160 tonnes per year; This is equivalent to a reduction of almost 70%. The sand for the battery will be obtained sustainably; ground talc, a byproduct of another local industry, will be used. According to the developers, this material conducts heat even better than ordinary sand.
Source: Ferra
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