Exchange on South African mobile energy storage containers for emergency relief

4 FAQs about Exchange on South African mobile energy storage containers for emergency relief

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.

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.

Can South Africa decommission a coal-fired power plant?

This project aims to decommission one of South Africa's oldest coal-fired power plants and replace it with 220 MW solar PV and wind power, as well as 150 MW battery storage. The funding comprises significant amounts of highly concessional financing.

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.