Why is battery storage important in South Africa?

In South Africa, battery storage is increasingly seen as a key pillar to help provide grid stability and integrate variable renewables given its ageing coal-fired power fleet and grid.

Who is delivering battery energy storage systems in South Africa?

Envision Energy, a leading global provider of energy storage solutions, has secured a major contract with EDF Group to deliver three battery energy storage systems (BESS) in South Africa. These systems, with a total capacity of 257 MW and 1028 MWh, represent the largest battery energy storage order in the country.

Where will the battery energy storage project be implemented?

The Project will be implemented at approximately 17 sites, located within or adjacent to existing distribution substations of Eskom, across four provinces of South Africa. The Battery Energy Storage Project (Project) provides a solution to address both challenges.

Will solar batteries help South Africa's energy grid?

South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom anticipates that these projects will showcase the effectiveness of batteries in facilitating the integration of renewable energy into the country's energy mix, while simultaneously easing the strain on the national electricity grid.

Does South Africa have a battery storage tender programme?

South Africa is aiming to procure utility-scale battery storage with two tender programmes: its Battery Storage IPP Procurement Programme as well as hybrid battery storage and variable renewables projects through its Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme.

Why is the South African government using IPP to allocate battery storage?

In 2022, this led to unprecedented load shedding of more than 8 terawatt-hours (TWh), which was a fourfold increase in unmet demand compared with the previous year. As a result, the South African government is using its Independent Power Producer (IPP) Procurement Programmes to allocate firm capacity, including battery storage.