This sand battery could be a solution for Europe’s energy crisis

Subject : Science and Technology

Context:

A new battery technology by a Finland-based company that uses sand to store thermal energy may aid clean energy solutions.

About the battery:

The battery uses sand as a medium to store thermal energy. It was invented by Polar Night Energy.
The battery has a four metres wide and seven metres high steel container with 100 tonnes of recycled sand.
The latest battery model can store up to 8 megawatt-hours of energy as heat.
The reservoir is so well-insulated from the outer environment that it can retain temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius and prevent heat losses over time.
The sand at the core is very far from the boundary, so the heat stored in the core does not easily get lost, even if we wait for days or weeks.
The battery receives electricity from the grid through excess solar and wind power, which is converted to heat and transferred to the sand.

Significance:

Water-based storage systems are a renewable alternative to produce building heat.
The sand battery can store heat up to 600 degrees Celsius, thus having a great significance.