Battery technology of a different kind

Who need Lithium batteries when you have sand?
In part of Finland the sun shines 24hrs./day in the summer, but is missing for a long period in the winter. Collecting the heat when it is available and using it when it is most needed makes total sense:

A similar idea has been proposed in Norway, using water as the media to store energy:

Maybe could but it’s a bit early for Norwegians to start patting themselves on the back. If Norway built 20 gigs worth it would place the nation 4th in the world behind China, USA, and Japan. All of which will probably add enough in the next few years to make 20 gigs look a little less significant.

This is 20 GW storage capacity in the form of water in reservoirs.

The HV cables between Norway and Europe/UK used to export electric power from Norway can also be used to import surplus power from there and put it on the Scandinavian grid.

In that case the hydro power stations in Norway can be shut down to keep water in the reservoirs for when the wind don’t blow and the sun don’t shin in Europe/UK. I.e. functioning as a “battery” for Europe.

What on Earth did you think my reply was about?

Norway isn’t even in the top 10 pumped hydro club today so claiming some kind of glory for being the potential, maybe, if, someday, perhaps, savior of Euro power is a bit of clickbait at this point.

What on earth are you so upset about??
Norway isn’t making any claim to be “even in the top 10 pumped hydro club today”. (if any such club exists)

If fact Norway isn’t pumping water back to the reservoirs, as yet. The article in Greentech Media from 2015 was about long term POSSIBILITES, not Norwegian claims of anything.

If this somehow annoyed you, you should direct your anger at them, not at me, or all Norwegians.
Oh sorry too late, they shut down in 2021:

I don’t know if 20 GW capacity is obtainable, but Norway still have a lot of untapped energy resources, both from Hydro, Wind and Solar. Unfortunately there are problems with developing all:

For Hydro the problem is that any attempt to add major dams is met by protest that they destroy natural beauty and reduce the water flow in spectacular waterfalls that local and tourists alike enjoy.
The solution may be mini-hydro, which is now being tried, both by reviving old power station and building new.

Norway has plenty of both onshore and offshore wind energy potential, but it is not popular.
The NIMBYs protest at every attempt to build wind parks on coastal hills and skerries; they are ugly, noisy and kill birds. In one case reindeer herders claimed that they infringed on their right to bring their flock to coastal areas in the winter. (Some already built wind turbines MAY have to be removed)

Thwith the Norwegian EEZ being immense:


The possibilities for floating wind turbines offshore are equally immense and the first few (11) turbines are now being installed at Tampen to supply power to nearby oil & gas installations.
Of course there are somebody protesting about that too.

Solar power in Norway?? Yes great potensial there too. You don’t need bright sunshine to produce electricity. Hours of daylight per year is the same in Norway as anywhere else on earth, it only comes in lumps. With the Finnish idea of “Sand Batteries” the potential is only getting bigger.