Tag Archive for: Electricity

Battery systems are now playing a key role in helping industries manage tariff pressures and ensure continuity of operations, says solar and storage solutions provider RenEnergy Africa business development head Juandre Pitout. He says battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are fast becoming a practical tool for South African businesses aiming to lower energy costs and bolster power security.

The growth of renewable energy and large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) across Africa is accelerating, but it also introduces new safety challenges that demand advanced fire protection, warns fire engineering company ASP Fire CEO Michael van Niekerk. The company is helping to address this gap through its partnership with Pyro Brand, which distributes the German-developed PyroBubbles technology in South Africa.

South Africa’s energy narrative is evolving. Where it was once focused on deploying new renewable power plants to address generation deficits, the conversation has now shifted toward flexibility, the ability to store, shift and dispatch electricity when and where it is needed most, says Pele Green Energy (PGE) GM Nicolas Lecomte. “As renewable-energy capacity grows across the country, maintaining grid stability despite intermittency has become essential. With South Africa moving toward a more decentralised and decarbonised energy system, battery energy storage systems (BESSes), particularly those using lithium-ion technology, are emerging as one of the most critical enablers of this new era.”

Following consultations with the Department of Energy and Electricity (DEE) on an initiative to procure new grid infrastructure from private consortiums, local Industry has again urged government to specify minimum percentages of locally sourced products and services for the upcoming procurement of Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs). In a joint statement, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa, the Power Line Association of South Africa and the Manufacturing Circle highlighted that the country’s existing transmission infrastructure had been delivered by local contractors and manufacturers, and that this capability remained largely intact.

A new study that assesses the investments required to achieve electricity security in South Africa by 2050 while also meeting the country’s decarbonisation goals has reaffirmed that the least-cost way of meeting the two objectives would be by pursuing a so-called ‘green industrialisation pathway’ – one where up to 85% of South Africa’s electricity is generated from renewable energy, supported by flexible gas, as well as battery and pumped-hydro storage. Produced by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), the National Planning Commission (NPC), and the National Treasury-linked Southern Africa Toward Inclusive Economic Development programme, the report is titled ‘South Africa’s Energy Sector Investment Requirements to Achieve Energy Security and Net Zero by 2050’.