October 1, 2020: The US Trade and Development Agency has handed $1 million to African multi-country power company Lekela Energie Stockage to pay for a feasibility study into what would be one of the first standalone grid-scale batteries in Senegal, it announced on September 28.

US businesses are being asked to submit proposals by the end of October to carry out the study.

The battery, which is expected to have at least 60MWh of storage capacity, will store power generated by the Taiba N’Diaye wind farm, owned by Lekela, to help stabilize the grid as more renewables are integrated within it.

‘Implementation of the energy storage system will improve grid efficiency through at least 60MWh of storage time. Implementation would also introduce new technology to Senegal in the form of five or more commercial-scale BESS units, resulting in an increase of efficiency and capacity for the electricity grid,” is how the official Request for Proposals for the study describes the project.

“We’re delighted that USTDA has awarded a grant to Lekela Energie Stockage to advance this project in partnership with Senelec, which will be one of the largest battery IPPs in Africa,” said Chris Antonopoulos, chief executive of Lekela Power.

Senelec is the local utility company.

“As West Africa’s largest wind farm, our Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye project places Senegal at the forefront of countries committed to the development of renewable energy. It’s fantastic to be involved in furthering this project through ground-breaking work.”

The USTDA helps develop projects in emerging economies by providing funds for US companies to do the work.

The agency says it has supported 17 activities with Senegal since 1992, “most recently awarding a training grant to Senegal’s national utility in support of a project that will help bring power to 440,000 people in rural communities using US-made technology,” it says.