TLDR · SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY

FINLAND WARMS UP THE WORLD'S LARGEST SAND BATTERY, AND THE ECONOMICS LOOK APPEALING

techcrunch.com3 min read

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

A small town in Finland recently started using the world's largest sand-based battery. Sand batteries are a type of thermal storage system that uses sand or crushed rock to store heat, which can be later used for various things like warming buildings. They are typically 'charged' by using electricity to heat the sand. The battery will help slash carbon emissions and help the town eliminate the costly oil that currently helps power its district heating network. The cost of the project has not been revealed, but the raw materials were cheap and the structure itself isn't particularly complex.