Prospects for energy storage development in South African industrial parks

Is energy storage a unique challenge to South Africa?

asic energy services may be a unique challenge to South Africa, that energy storage can resolve. Policies need to be investi ated, created and / or adapted to enable the development of a battery energy storage power sector. The IRP modelling boundaries need to be extended to all end-use custome

Why is energy storage important in South Africa?

This enables storage to absorb excess capacity on the system when supply exceeds demand. In South Africa’s constrained power system, energy storage can provide backup capacity that can be called on to reduce the extent of loadshedding. As noted earlier, energy storage offers accurate and swift / responsive dispatchability to the system.

What are South Africa's energy storage development and manufacturing objectives?

South Africa’s energy storage development and manufacturing objectives and roadmap. Anticipated changes in the generation and consumption profiles of the country with consideration of the most recent IRP (Intervention 1.2 under Policy levers) and any subsequent techno-economic planning and modelling.

Does South Africa's policy environment recognise energy storage?

The literature review and case studies revealed that a policy environment that recognises and signals the strategic value of energy storage can direct and enable development and investment in the sector. South Africa’s policy environment, represented by the IRP 2019, recognises ESS but only as a generation asset.

What are the barriers to energy storage in South Africa?

The report noted the main barriers in the region to be lack of regulation supporting the energy storage market, access to affordable financing, political and economic stability, and underdeveloped or aging grid infrastructure. Of particular interest in South Africa is the volume of residential energy storage systems being imported.

Is South Africa ready for energy storage?

The extent to which the South African market is ready for energy storage is considered in subsequent sections. The 2030 vision outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) of 2011 set the objective to completely eliminate income poverty and reduce inequality in the country.