Does South Africa have a battery storage system?

Matzner notes that South Africa has already made some progress in the deployment of battery storage systems, which can typically provide up to four to five hours of energy storage.

Why is energy storage important in South Africa?

But as South Africa changes its model for producing and distributing electricity, the demand for energy storage solutions is likely to rise. As coal-fired power plants are decommissioned and renewable energy sources – typically intermittent – are increasingly adopted, reliable and efficient energy storage is coming more and more to the fore.

Does Scatec have a solar-plus-storage site in South Africa?

Scatec’s Kenhardt solar-plus-storage site in South Africa (above), which went online at the end of 2023. Image: Scatec. Africa’s energy storage market has seen a boom since 2017, having risen from just 31MWh to 1,600MWh in 2024, according to trade body AFSIA Solar’s latest report.

Why is solar storage important in South Africa?

The storage aspect is important because this transition involves the move into energy sources such as wind and solar. According to The Economist magazine, the amount of installed solar capacity in South Africa has risen from 2.8GW to 7.8GW, and this excludes solar capacity installed in homes.

What challenges are facing the battery storage market in South Africa?

A lot of municipalities have a lot of vacant land, which can be utilised for storage.” Another challenge facing the battery storage market in South Africa is the reliance on imported equipment, the bulk of which is sourced from countries such as China and South Korea.

What are the most popular solar-plus-storage developments in Africa?

As noted by AFSIA Solar, one of the most notable solar-plus-storage developments in Africa is Norway-based independent power producer (IPP) Scatec’s 225MW/1,140MWh Kenhardt project in South Africa. The site started operation in late 2023 (pictured above).