Globeleq To Construct Largest Standalone Battery Power Storage System In South Africa

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UK firm Globeleq, the main impartial energy firm in Africa, yesterday introduced that its Crimson Sands challenge within the Northern Cape has been awarded Most popular Bidder standing in South Africa’s Power Storage Capability Unbiased Energy Producer Procurement Programme (ESIPPPP). Globeleq is majority-owned by British Worldwide Funding (BII), the Improvement Finance Establishment of the UK Authorities.

Battery storage is an important enabler of renewable-energy era, and the marketplace for these methods is rising quickly in South Africa and worldwide as a way of resolving power crises and tackling local weather change. These methods present dependable energy provide on demand, even when the power grid is unstable, overcoming the challenges of intermittent wind and photo voltaic sources. They retailer power at instances of extra era in order that it may be launched into the grid when era falls in need of demand, serving to to mitigate the necessity for load-shedding.

Specialists say that widespread power storage is significant to increasing the attain of renewables and rushing the transition to a carbon-free energy grid — that is key to serving to scale back South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels because it seeks to transition to wash power. This R5.7 billion (US$300 million) funding due to this fact represents a flagship challenge financed by the UK as a part of its dedication beneath the Simply Power Transition Partnership agreed at COP26.

The Crimson Sands challenge is within the Northern Cape, about 100km southeast of Upington, and was initially developed by African Inexperienced Ventures, a South African renewable challenge growth firm owned by Norwegian based mostly power agency Magnora ASA. The challenge will cowl roughly 5 hectares (12 acres) and can connect with the grid by the Eskom Garona substation. The substation shall be upgraded by the Crimson Sands challenge to make sure that full community help capabilities of the challenge’s batteries might be utilised.

Working carefully with main international battery and balance-of-plant suppliers, Globeleq estimates that the challenge would require an funding of roughly US$300 million and can take 24 months to assemble after monetary shut, which is predicted in 2024.

Globeleq is the most important impartial energy produce in Africa, offering practically 1,800 MW of power in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Cameroon. Globeleq is a UK firm based mostly in London and backed completely with Official Improvement Help (UK assist).

Crimson Sands shall be Globeleq’s first Battery Power Storage Options (BESS) challenge in South Africa however the Group owns and operates a mixed photo voltaic and BESS plant at Cuamba in Mozambique, and is growing BESS initiatives throughout the African continent. Globeleq additionally owns and operates eight renewable crops (6 photo voltaic PV, 2 wind) in South Africa with a complete producing capability of 384 MW.

Mike Scholey, Globeleq’s CEO commented: “I’m delighted that we’ve obtained Most popular Bidder standing for this essential challenge, and I look ahead to working with the federal government and our companions to take Crimson Sands to monetary shut and into operations. Electrical energy storage goes to be key not solely in serving to South Africa meet its appreciable industrial and home demand for power but additionally throughout Africa as extra renewable power initiatives profit from the advances our trade has made with BESS expertise.”

British Excessive Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson stated: “It is a important funding in South Africa’s future. The UK is proud to play such an important position in serving to to sort out the power disaster with new expertise that can convey energy provide stability and most significantly help South Africa’s ambition to scale back carbon emissions.”