With the South African government’s Integrated Resource Plan encouraging renewable-energy integration, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming a critical component in the country’s energy mix, supporting grid-tied and off-grid installations, says energy solutions specialists I-G3N technical manager Taole Tsoehlisi. The adoption of BESS in the country is growing, driven by the need to stabilise the grid and provide backup power during loadshedding.
State-owned electricity utility Eskom is leading the large-scale commercial rollout of battery energy storage system (BESS) technology in South Africa, aiming to demonstrate its feasibility and benefits, with Phase 1 currently under way and Phase 2 in development, says Eskom generation group executive Bheki Nxumalo. Currently, the Eskom BESS rollout programme is the largest to be implemented in South Africa and entails 1 440 MWh distributed BESS with 60 MW solar PV.
State-owned electricity utility Eskom, with the South African government, has made significant progress in supporting battery energy storage systems (BESS), which is pivotal in ensuring energy security, load shifting and grid stabilisation at utility scale in South Africa, says independent power producer (IPP) ENGIE South Africa flexible generation senior business developer Shahil Juggernath. Eskom is a key early adopter, with over 300 MW planned for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of its BESS implementation project. These large-scale utility batteries will be installed at strategic points across the grid.