Page 13 - Energize August 2022

NEWS

Eskom appoints service providers for its

battery energy storage project

ollowing a competitive and transparent bidding process, Coal & Clean Technology.
Eskom has awarded contracts to two successful bidders Approval for the BESS implementation has been obtained
F– Hyosung Heavy Industries and Pinggao Group – for the from the World Bank. The project is co-financed by the African
provision of battery storage solutions in terms of its flagship Battery Development Bank, New Development Bank, the World Bank and
Energy Storage System (BESS) project. The contract is for design, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF).
supply and installation as well as operating and maintenance The electricity grid will continue to incorporate energy from
for a 5-year period. This is the first part of the 500 MW BESS renewable sources, and this will require energy storage in large
initiative announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the quantities. To this end, the organisation operates the largest testing
government’s measures to address South Africa’s long-running facility for large-scale energy storage in the southern hemisphere,
electricity crisis. at its Research, Testing and Development (RT&D) facilities in
The Eskom BESS project will act as a proof of concept on the Rosherville, Gauteng. Eskom continues to explore bulk energy
delivery of the first battery energy storage project in South Africa. storage solutions for grid strengthening as well as small-scale,
The project supports transformational aspects by demonstrating behind-the-meter storage solutions for customers to store their
large-scale deployment in support of South Africa’s renewable own generated power.
energy strategy, and addresses local overall system challenges. “The project is one of many ways Eskom can partner with
It is envisioned that gains from the BESS project will help various players in finding alternative, innovative and lasting
to alleviate the pressure on the national electricity grid. The solutions and is also consistent with Eskom’s Just Energy Transition
project will be used primarily for national peak shaving (managing (JET) strategy, and storage is one of the key initiatives to assist
demand) purposes for four hours a day for at least 250 days in addressing the country’s electricity challenges in the long-
of the year. It will also be used for ancillary services and local term,” said André de Ruyter, Eskom’s Group Chief Executive.
network support. There are also several technical applications The Eskom BESS project incorporates transformational aspects
and benefits that will be quantifiable over time. Charging of the by demonstrating large-scale deployment of storage abilities in
batteries will take place during off-peak periods or when the support of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan.
network conditions permit. Eskom views the development of local industry as a critical
The project is designed to utilise large scale utility batteries part of South Africa’s socio-economic and transformation
with the capacity of 1440 MWh per day and a 60 MW solar developmental agenda and has identified the BESS project as
photovoltaic (PV) capacity to be implemented in two phases. an opportunity to advance these imperatives. Accordingly, a
Phase 1 includes the installation of approximately 199 MW preliminary localisation and industrialisation study has been
additional capacity (see Table 1). With four hours of storage, this conducted on the BESS and Eskom will continue to actively engage
equals 833 MWh storage of distributed battery storage plants at with stakeholders to ensure that maximum benefits are derived
eight Eskom Distribution substation sites. This phase also includes from all the project sites.
about 2 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. Tables 1 and 2 show the sites for Phases 1 and 2 respectively.
Phase 2 includes the installation of a total of 144 MW which is
equivalent to 616 MWh at four Eskom Distribution sites and one
Transmission site. The solar PV capacity in this phase is 58 MW.
To maximise benefits, the distributed battery storage sites are
strategically situated at remote areas with limited access to our
distribution networks, but close to renewable independent power
producers’ (IPPs) plants.
All Phase 1 sites are planned to be commissioned by 30 June Table 1
2023 and Phase 2 by December 2024.
“Through the BESS project, Eskom aspires to diversify the
existing generation energy mix by pursuing a low carbon future
to reduce the impact on the environment. The 1440 MWh
distributed BESS with 60 MW Solar PV represents a giant leap Table 2
forward in achieving this aspiration, as it will be one of the
largest BESS projects to be developed and implemented in Contact Eskom Media Desk, Phone 011 800-3433/5944/6050,
South Africa,” said Velaphi Ntuli, Eskom’s General Manager, mediadesk@eskom.co.za

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