Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA)<\/a>, Hot Heart consists of ten cylindrical basins that form a floating, archipelago-like structure situated off the coast of the metropolis. Upon completion around 2028, the unusual complex will serve the dual function of storing thermal energy and serving as a hub for recreational activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\nDesigned to act like a giant battery, the floating edifice harvests renewable energy from wind, solar, and other sources at low or negative cost when it is available abundantly. The energy is then converted into heat and stored in the ten tanks until it is needed during the winter. The tanks, which each measure about 740 feet in diameter, can collectively hold up to 2.64 billion gallons of water. \u201cWe know renewables are intermittent. Sometimes we produce too much, sometimes we produce too little,\u201d explains founding partner Carlo Ratti. \u201cIf you use a thermal battery to store electricity, the cost is magnitudes less than other methods.\u201d Hot Heart is projected to provide for all of Helsinki\u2019s heating needs (estimated at 6,000 GWh) by 2028, with zero carbon emissions and at a cost that is lower than today\u2019s expenditures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four of the tanks are enclosed in transparent domes that contain what the architects call \u201cfloating forests\u201d\u2014indoor ecosystems that will be naturally heated by the basins below and open to the public for relaxation and socialization. \u201cIn Finland, going to the forest and spending time in nature are very rooted in the local culture,\u201d says Ratti. \u201cBut beyond that, we also see the forests as an opportunity to teach people about climate change, about sustainability, about energy flows. I think that engaging the public is going to be very important as we tackle the climate crisis together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n