- Eskom is close to finalising over 800MWh of battery energy storage projects.
- AfDB backs the project with a US$58 million loan.
- The standalone storage projects are in addition to around 430MWh/1300MWh.
The South African grid operator Eskom is nearing completion on over 800MWh of battery energy storage projects. Still, a consultant informed Energy-storage news that another procurement could be twice as large.
According to Energy-storage news, the project implementation is financed by a US$58 million loan from the African Development Bank’s Clean Technology Fund. Eskom tenders for new renewable energy projects under the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Program. It will own the assets, but successful vendors will have a five-year operation and maintenance contract.
In a statement by Adam Terry, Technical Director at Harmattan Renewables, which is working with IPPs on projects in the country, “this round of procurement may be considered as basically a testing ground where IPPs and Eskom can test the battery storage technology on the grid at a subsidised rate.”