South Africa has launched Africa’s largest battery energy storage facility. Eskom who opened the project said it a significant step towards addressing the country’s ongoing electricity shortages.
The facility dubbed Hex Battery Energy Storage System is located in Worcester, Western Cape, by South African state-owned utility Eskom. It can store enough energy to power a town of 100,000 people for nearly 5 hours.
Eskom has been grappling with electricity demand challenges due to aging and poorly maintained coal power plants, leading to frequent rolling blackouts that have adversely affected South Africa’s economy. Eskom’s heavy reliance on coal has also hindered its transition to renewable energy sources.
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Energy stability
To tackle this issue, Eskom entered contracts with Hyosung Heavy Industries of South Korea and China’s Pinggao Group to construct battery storage projects, with funding from the World Bank. The 200MW of the Hex Battery Energy Storage System is considered relatively small compared to South Africa’s energy needs.
To overcome the generation shortfall, Eskom will need to enhance grid stability and add generation capacity from various sources such as solar, wind, and gas. Independent power producers can play a role in supporting these efforts, but substantial reforms are necessary to improve plant maintenance, upgrade infrastructure, and restore Eskom’s financial health.
Resolving the energy crisis is essential for the country’s growth and stability, and while the new battery storage system is a positive step, experts emphasize the need for more significant reforms at Eskom to address the root causes of the challenges.
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