If I understand the article windmills and solar cells will heat this sand to 1,000F. I assume that the electricity produced would heat the sand by resistance heating. Basic laws of thermodynamics say that when energy is transferred from one state to another there is a loss of energy due to entropy. Consider using windmills. The windmill itself is probably only 30% efficient converting the wind energy to electrical energy. That electrical energy heating the sand by resistance heating...another loss of energy. The sand heating the water to make steam..more energy lost. Finally the turbines that convert mechanical energy to electricity..more energy lost. In my opinion the efficiency of this sand storage would be such that it isn’t practical.
It isn't. But that never stopped people in search of government grants. Government workers and especially pols are notoriously bad at science and math..........................
Back when Obama’s merry band of idiots first took control of the government, a meeting was held for oil and energy industry heads and the Obama administration cabinet and their lackeys.
The Obamanoids put forth some silly scheme to provide energy and one CEO remarked that it would not pass the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Whereupon some Obamanoid remarked, with a smirk, “Who the hell passed THAT law? We’ll get it changed!”............................
These people as more than stupid, they are dangerously so...................