Sand-based heat storage could cut industrial energy costs by 70%

Tanya Weaver Mon 2 Feb 2026

Collected at: https://eandt.theiet.org/2026/02/02/sand-based-heat-storage-could-cut-industrial-energy-costs-70

Cleantech start-up TheStorage has installed a sand-based thermal storage pilot at a brewery in Finland to provide fossil-free industrial heat.

The pilot system converts renewable electricity into heat, stores it in sand and delivers it for on-demand industrial heating.

It aims to address the variable availability of renewable electricity by storing surplus energy when it’s abundant and releasing it as heat, helping to ensure a consistent supply of fossil-free energy.

Having developed the idea in 2023, TheStorage has now installed its first industrial-scale pilot at Finland’s fifth-largest brewery, Nokian Brewery, for real-world industrial testing, where it will be used to produce fossil-free steam for the brewery’s production lines.

TheStorage estimates that its heat storage solution could cut industrial energy costs by up to 70% and carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Timo Siukkola, CEO of TheStorage, said: “Companies have wanted to decarbonise for years, but viable solutions simply weren’t available. Finally, renewable energy generation can meet industrial heat demand in a way that’s both ecologically sound and economically practical.” 

TheStorage

The pilot plant employs what TheStorage refers to as ‘sand-in-motion’ heat transfer technology, in which sand is circulated between two silos. 

Cool sand moves from a cold silo to an electric heater, reaching temperatures up to 800°C. The heated sand is then stored in a hot silo, where energy is efficiently retained in stationary sand. 

According to the firm, by circulating the sand through an external heat exchanger, the system delivers up to 10 times better heat transfer capacity compared with materials used in conventional static storage systems such as brick, stone or concrete. 

The stored heat is released on-demand as steam or thermal oil, providing stable power that can be quickly adjusted to match demand. 

Siukkola said: “There is nothing quite like this on the market. Our solution combines proven technologies with a breakthrough innovation.”

The heat storage solution is also scalable from 20Wh to 500MWh, with charging power from 1MW to 20MW, depending on industrial needs.

While the pilot plant is designed to reach 800°C, TheStorage says the system can operate at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C.

Siukkola said: “Heat emissions now appear simultaneously in sustainability reports, energy costs and customer requirements. This forces industrial companies to reconsider how they produce heat to remain competitive in global supply chains.”

In August 2025, the world’s largest 1MW sand battery  opened in Finland to meet the heating needs of the Pornainen district with a high-temperature thermal energy storage system.