A district network heating operator in Finland has commissioned a 1MW/100MWh thermal energy storage project using novel ''Sand Battery'' technology from Polar Night Energy.
The first commercial sand-based thermal energy storage system in the world has started operating in Finland, developed by Polar Night Energy. Polar Night Energy''s system,
TAMPERE, Finland, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The energy storage facility delivered by Merus Power to Lappeenranta, Finland, has been completed and put into market use on 15
Finnish companies Polar Night Energy and Vatajankoski have built the world''s first operational "sand battery", which provides a low-cost and low-emissions way to store
Finland''s renewable energy storage solutions using the world''s largest sand battery cut emissions by 70% in Pornainen. The system stores 100 megawatt-hours of thermal energy
The energy storage facility delivered by Merus Power to Lappeenranta, Finland, has been completed and put into market use on 15 May 2025. The energy storage facility is
The first commercial sand-based thermal energy storage system in the world has started operating in Finland, developed by Polar Night Energy. Polar Night Energy''s system, based on its patented
A district network heating operator in Finland has commissioned a 1MW/100MWh thermal energy storage project using novel ''Sand Battery'' technology from Polar Night Energy.
Finland has launched the world''s largest operational sand battery in the municipality of Pornainen. The facility stores renewable energy as heat and supplies thermal
The facility, now operational as of June 2025, is the world''s largest sand-based, high-temperature thermal storage system, delivering 1 MW of thermal power and 100 MWh of
SEB Nordic Energy''s portfolio company Locus Energy, in collaboration with Ingrid Capacity, proudly announces the groundbreaking of one of Finland''s largest battery energy
The facility, now operational as of June 2025, is the world''s largest sand-based, high-temperature thermal storage system, delivering 1 MW of thermal power and 100 MWh of
The sand battery storage system uses surplus renewable electricity to heat soapstone to high temperatures, and then releases this energy into the district heating network when it is
SEB Nordic Energy''s portfolio company Locus Energy, in collaboration with Ingrid Capacity, proudly announces the groundbreaking of one of Finland''s largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in Nivala

SEB Nordic Energy’s portfolio company Locus Energy, in collaboration with Ingrid Capacity, proudly announces the groundbreaking of one of Finland’s largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in Nivala Municipality, Northern Ostrobothnia.
After the start of commercial operations in 2026, the project will contribute an important balancing function to the Finnish grid, supporting the Finnish renewable energy expansion. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in the afternoon on Monday the 26th of May on the site near Nivala where the battery energy storage system will be built.
Energy storage systems offer a solution. “This groundbreaking is an important moment for Finland’s energy transition and a concrete step toward a more flexible, resilient, and decarbonized energy system,” said Jussi Jyrinsalo, Senior Vice President at Fingrid.
HT Finland has activated the world's largest sand battery in Pornainen, storing excess renewable energy as heat to power an entire town’s heating needs. The system cuts heating emissions by nearly 70%, using soapstone as a low-cost, long-duration thermal storage medium.
The Nivala battery energy storage system marks the second collaboration project between Locus Energy and Ingrid Capacity.
Finland gets most of its gas from Russia, so the country has had to rapidly ramp up its switch to renewable forms of energy. While the country can install new solar panels and wind turbines, these energy sources also present huge challenges, including how to keep the lights on during the long, dark winters, when there is no sun.
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