Polar Night Energy plans second pilot sand-battery in Finland
Finnish startup Polar Night Energy has announced a new pilot project that will test the next generation of its sand-battery technology.
The sand battery pilot plant will build on the company’s existing technology, which stores thermal energy for industrial or district heating, and will be capable of converting stored thermal energy back into electricity in a process known as power-to-heat-to-power.
The project will be built in Valkeakoski, southern Finland, in collaboration with Valkeakosken Energia, an energy company owned by the city. Construction is due to begin in autumn this year. The site will feature a thermal energy storage unit and technical building covering nearly the entire plot.
A statement from Polar Night Energy said the project will operate at significantly higher temperatures than current sand batteries used for heat production. It adds that achieving these higher temperatures and overcoming related material technology challenges are key goals for the project, which will run through early 2027.
Polar Night Energy said the technology has the potential to significantly cut emissions and make renewable energy sources including solar and wind more reliable and cost-effective.
“When operational, the new sand battery would enable a better match between electricity production and consumption, thereby supporting the growth of wind and solar energy,” said the company.
Polar Night Energy Chief technology Officer Markku Ylönen said that Valkeakosken Energia has identified a suitable site for the pilot, with the heat generated to be fed into the energy company’s district heating network, helping to reduce energy waste.
Polar Night Energy said it is working towards delivering commercial-scale electricity production plants in the future.
In 2024, Polar Night Energy announced plans for a 1 MW sand-based heat storage battery in the municipality of Pornainen, southern Finland. It began testing the project in November 2024. The company also secured €7.6 million ($8.6 million) in seed funding last year.
In 2022, it switched on the world’s first commercial, sand-based, high-temperature heat storage system in the Finnish city of Kankaanpää, with 100 kW of heating power and 8 MWh of energy capacity.
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