{"id":16474,"date":"2025-06-11T05:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T05:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1414008"},"modified":"2025-06-11T05:00:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T05:00:31","slug":"worlds-biggest-sand-battery-to-heat-finnish-town-without-fossil-fuels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=16474","title":{"rendered":"World\u2019s biggest sand battery to heat Finnish town without fossil fuels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A small town in Finland is about to ditch fossil fuels in its heating network thanks to a sand-filled energy storage tank the size of a house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finnish startup<\/a> Polar Night Energy recently turned on the so-called sand battery in the municipality of Pornainen, an hour north of Helsinki. <\/span><\/p>\n

The machine, which uses dirt to store excess renewable energy as heat, will warm the homes and businesses in the town of 5,000 people. It is expected to replace natural gas and oil in Pornainen\u2019s district heating network entirely, slashing emissions by <\/span>an estimated 70%.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis project is a powerful example that effective solutions for mitigating climate change do exist,\u201d said Liisa Naskali, COO at Polar Night Energy. \u201cCombustion is not a sustainable option for the climate or the environment.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

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The energy-storing structure measures about 13 metres tall and 15 metres wide and is filled with 2,000 tonnes of crushed soapstone, a byproduct of the construction industry. The new battery is 10 times larger than the startup\u2019s first<\/span> pilot plant<\/span><\/a> in <\/span>Pornainen<\/span>, <\/span>launched in 2022.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Polar-Night-Energy-Pornainen-Soapstone\"
Polar Night\u2019s sand battery contains 2000 tonnes of crushed soapstone. Credit: Polar Night<\/figcaption>