Tobberone

Not surprising. Norway seems to be driving a lot of development away from excess energy use and oil. Not only in transportation, but also in real estate.

I know little of all projects there, but what I do know makes me want to go there and learn how to do better. When (not if) electric uptake nears 100%, like in Norway, things will start to happen in the market. Petrol stations, refineries etc. will see a very different demand, which will propel much needed change!

Due to the other comment below, i spoke with the guys that run our panels and they answered “well, in theory…” Why that is, if its because of rules/standardisation issues, or that’s it previously been inconceivable that there would ever be so much panels about that one would want to, I don’t know. But that is the word from a production team counting the yearly production in GWh and running MW-range batteries.

Interesting! Is the idea to use excess electricity to heat the sand and then reproduce power via Steam turbine? Any idea how the heat is extracted ?

I’ve heard of a similar plant, but that used mirrors to heat up the sand directly, rather than using it as a way to use excess electricity.

Same idea, different material is thermal storage in sand.

Please expand! Why is this not an issue with solar?

If i remember correctly the person i learnt from works as an aggregator for “small” (typically <1MWh) batteries that cooperates on the frequency regulation market.

Unfortunately it is a problem that needs solving. Electricity needs to be used as it is produced and if its not, it will be a problem. Where i live, the de facto solution today is to heat the oceans. That’s not a viable long term solution and why we urgently need to find a way to store energy!