Finland Deploys World's Largest Sand Battery to Address Renewable Energy Intermittency
A small town in southern Finland has launched what is being called the world’s largest commercial sand battery, developed by Polar Night Energy and commissioned by Loviisan Lämpö. The facility uses crushed soapstone to store thermal energy generated from renewable electricity during periods of low demand or high wind/solar output. This stored heat can supply nearly one month of heating in summer and about a week in winter for the town’s 5,000 residents. The sand battery is part of Finland's broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions by replacing traditional fossil fuel-based heating with clean energy storage solutions. The project has already cut greenhouse gas emissions from the local district heating network by nearly 70% and reduced wood chip usage by about 60%. A backup wood-chip power plant remains in operation for peak loads. Polar Night Energy’s CEO, Tommi Eronen, emphasized that sand batteries offer a promising alternative to lithium-ion or other chemical battery technologies because they do not rely on rare earth materials. The success of the Pornainen project could pave the way for wider adoption of this technology both in Finland and globally.
Topics: carbon emissions reduction district heating energy storage renewable energy