Innovations: sand taps, subscription panels and glowing plants

The Finnish city of Pornainen will soon be home to the world’s largest sand battery with a capacity of 100 MWh. This battery tower will store thermal energy generated from solar and wind sources and will help reduce urban emissions from heating by almost 70%. Sand, which can store heat for several months at a temperature of approximately 500°C, is used to fill the tall tower. 

SolarMente, a Spanish company, offers a subscription service to install solar panels without any upfront cost. Subscribers can use the energy produced immediately, and the system lasts for approximately 20 to 25 years, with installation and maintenance included in the monthly fee (average €50). An AI-based “virtual battery” balances the supply and demand of electricity, and the excess energy produced reduces the customer’s energy bill or is sent to a second home, company, or friends. Customers have reported that the SolarMente solar panels cover, on average, 90% of their energy needs.

A team of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a plant that can emit light and can be charged repeatedly using an LED. The researchers used specialised nanoparticles embedded in plant leaves. After 10 seconds of charging, the plants glow brightly for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Bemp Research Corp, a startup, has created a hemp-based material specifically for lithium-sulphur batteries and electric vehicles.