Finland’s Polar Night to build 250 MWh sand battery for district heating provider

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From ESS News

Polar Night Energy will deploy an industrial-scale thermal energy storage unit for Lahti Energia’s district heating network in Vääksy, Finland. The sand battery will provide 2 MW of thermal output and 250 MWh of storage capacity, positioning it as the world’s largest sand-based thermal energy storage system upon completion.

The installation will supply heat to the Vääksy district heating network and is expected to lower fossil-based emissions by approximately 60% annually, primarily through an estimated 80% reduction in natural gas consumption and reduced reliance on wood chips.

“We want to offer our customers affordable district heating and make use of renewable energy in our heat production. The scale of this Sand Battery also enables us to participate in Fingrid’s reserve and grid balancing markets. As the share of weather-dependent energy grows in the grid, the Sand Battery will contribute to balancing electricity supply and demand”, says Jouni Haikarainen, CEO of Lahti Energia.

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