October 25, 2018: Eskom, the South African utility, has launched a two-phase 1,440MWh distributed battery storage programme to cover the country by the end of 2021.
The first phase, in the four provinces of Eastern, Western and Northern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal, will total 800MWh of battery storage and should be in place by the end of 2019. This will provide peak shaving, frequency support and ancillary services in the distribution network.
Eskom’s report, Environmental and Social Management Framework Summary, released in October, deals with the first phase. It lists a total of 47 projects earmarked for battery storage, but while lead-acid batteries are named as one of the contending technologies, no further breakdown is given as to which chemistry will be used for each installation.
The four chemistries being considered are flow batteries, lithium ion, zinc bromine and lead acid.
“Eskom will not dictate chemistries. Offered solutions will be subject to evaluation according to set criteria,” a spokesperson told BESB.
“Sites are chosen based on technical need for battery storage to support the integration of renewable energy and the stability of the distribution network,” the report says.
“Sites targeted to be selected are mostly existing Eskom substation sites, power line servitudes, municipal land or where the project will have direct benefit to the community.”
The report says that just 0.1% of South Africa’s electricity is generated from solar and wind, with coal making up the greatest proportion, at 63% — although South Africa’s Department of Energy puts the figure at 77%.
“This is unlikely to change significantly in the next two decades owing to the relative lack of suitable alternatives to coal as an energy source,” the department says.
The second phase will include 600 MWh of battery storage and 60MW of solar PV distribution and a similar report will be drafted for August next year.
“The battery storage systems will be containerized and the containers installed primarily on already disturbed areas within existing electrical sub-stations, generating low environmental impacts,” the report says.
“Additionally, the operation and maintenance of the facilities will be mostly carried out remotely. Therefore, no potential indirect or long-term environmental impacts are expected from the project.”
The spokesperson said it was not clear whether storage would be expanded to a larger area in the future, and said: “Future applications will be dependent on viable technical and business cases.”
Eskom says it supplies 95% of South Africa’s electricity
