The world's first 'sand battery' ⏳

Plus: A new fusion power station will mimic the sun to provide limitless energy Jul 06, 2022 [Blueprint]( On Monday, we told you all about a new battery prototype that utilizes the power of water. Now, there is another prototype pushing the frontiers of energy storage, and, in a beachy twist, it's based on sand. Installed in Finland, the idea belongs to two Finnish engineers, and it’s simplicity itself. What you do is make a big pile of sand, heat it with excess renewable electricity, and then use that heat for buildings. Moreover, the sand can stay hot for three months or more. Before we learn more about the ingenious battery, watch today’s video to learn the most dangerous place on the moon for astronauts to land on. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get it rolling. If you haven't already, check out our new [IE+ subscription]( launching July 14, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, premium features, and more. Claim your [free one-month trial here](. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Video reveals why astronauts should not land on this region of the moon]( [Moon.]( It's all about electricity. [Must Read]MUST READ [The world's first operational 'sand battery' can store energy for months]( [Battery.]( A team of researchers from Finland, Markku Ylönen and Tommi Eronen, [has set up the world's first commercial-scale 'sand battery']( that can be used to store power generated from renewable sources for months at a time to solve the problem of year-round supply. The sand battery (above) is filled with roughly 100 tonnes of sand used in construction, a relatively inexpensive alternative to the lithium, cobalt, and nickel needed for other batteries. How does it work? Excess power is directed toward the sand battery. Instead of trying to move electrons from one electrode to the other or power pumps to send water to a higher reservoir, a sand battery uses resistive heating to increase the temperature of the air, which is then transferred to sand through a heat exchanger. → With the melting temperature of the sand in hundreds of degrees Celsius, a tower of sand has a high potential to store energy. More importantly, sand stores this energy for many months, making it a viable long-term storage solution. [These might still be the first steps]( but the Finns are confident that the method will be a huge success in the years to come. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [A new fusion power station will mimic the sun to provide limitless energy]( A European consortium, EuroFusion, has taken a crucial step on the long road to commercially viable nuclear fusion. [The consortium just announced the start]( of a five-year "conceptual design" phase for its DEMOnstration power plant (DEMO). [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Innovation - A NASA satellite launched just last month has broken free from the Earth's orbit and [is now headed toward the moon](. - Formula One's halo device has saved another life in a horrific crash. [But how does it work]( - The world's first solar-powered carbon capture systems [could help remove tonnes of CO₂](. [CULTURE]CULTURE [China dismisses 'reckless' claim it's planning a military 'take over' of the moon]( China space officials [rejected a warning from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson]( that China could try to "take over" the moon as part of a military operation. The officials said China has consistently called for international collaboration in space and described Nelson's "reckless" comments as part of an irresponsible smear campaign on their country's space operations. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Culture - Massive underwater drones used for smuggling drugs [have been seized by Spanish police](. - Dystopian literature and fears of a "dark future" are time-honored, but [can any of these scenarios still happen]( - Scientists have revealed [the secrets of Ancient Roman wine-making](. [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS A team of researchers has set up the world's first commercial-scale 'sand battery' in Finland. Can sand battery technology be implemented across the world? [It can and it should.]( [I’m not convinced…]( [Why not? But I feel like there are better solutions out there.]( [We need it and more! Different solutions will fill different needs.]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS We asked whether you think that Starship will be ready by July, as Elon Musk has promised before. According to 42 percent of you, it’ll get delayed again. 42% Nope. It’ll get delayed again. 38% Yes! Full speed ahead! 12% It’ll launch, but it won’t complete the test. 8% SpaceX will try, but it won’t launch successfully. [QUOTE OF THE DAY]QUOTE OF THE DAY "The common question that gets asked in business is, why? That’s a good question, but an equally valid question is, why not?" Jeff Bezos in Wired, November 13, 2011 [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [W-KING Portable Speaker]( [image]( [Athlon Optics Binoculars]( [image]( [Frigidaire Ice Maker]( [image]( [Astro AI 12V Portable Freezer]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - NASA scientists [explained why they can't analyze]( Mars samples aboard the ISS. - People using IVF can see which embryo is least likely to develop cancer and other diseases. But [can protecting your child slip into playing God]( - The world's biggest water lily species [was hiding in plain sight all along](. - Warming, wildfires and unpredictable weather threaten to disrupt the delicate processes that underlie treasured wines. Researchers and producers [are innovating to keep ahead](. (Knowable Magazine) - Renault 5 Diamant: [Striking photos show an EV redesign]( of the iconic car. - Barnum Brown was an all-time [genius at finding Tyrannosaurus Rexes](. This is his heartbreaking story. (Slate) - [Vitamin D overdose is possible]( and becoming more common. Prepared by Derya Özdemir Enjoy Reading? Forward this email to a friend. Was this email forwarded to you? [Join Free!]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe [here](. © Copyright 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]