The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) of South Africa has announced the release of the third Bid Window for the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP BW3).
The DMRE has also announced the appointment of a fifth bidder under the BESIPPPP Bid Window 1, a project in the Northern Cape to provide 153MW battery energy storage capacity through its Red Sands BESS.
That project will cover approximately 5 hectares (12 acres) and will connect to the grid through the Eskom Garona substation. It will also be Africa’s largest standalone battery energy storage system.
The DMRE has also announced the extensions of bid submission dates for BESIPPPP Bid Window 2 (BW2) and Bid Window 7 under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP BW7).
The bid submission date for BESIPPPP BW2 moves from 30 April 2024 to 6 June 2024 while the bid submission date for RFP’s for REIPPPP BW7 moves to 30 May 2024.
Battery storage is an essential enabler of renewable energy generation, and the market for these systems is growing rapidly in South Africa and worldwide as a means of resolving energy crises and tackling climate change.
These systems provide reliable power supply on demand, even when the energy grid is unstable, overcoming the challenges of intermittent wind and solar sources. They store energy at times of excess generation so that it can be released into the grid when generation falls short of demand, helping to mitigate the need for loadshedding.
Experts say that widespread energy storage is vital to expanding the reach of renewables and speeding the transition to a carbon-free power grid – this is key to helping reduce South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels as it seeks to transition to clean energy.
“Electricity storage is going to be key not only in helping South Africa meet its considerable industrial and domestic demand for energy but also across Africa as more renewable energy projects benefit from the advances our industry has made with BESS technology,” commented Mike Scholey, CEO of Globeleq which was awarded Preferred Bidder status in South Africa’s first bid window of the battery ESIPPPP.
“This is a significant investment in South Africa’s future. The UK is proud to play such a vital role in helping to tackle the energy crisis with new technology that will bring power supply stability and most importantly support South Africa’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions,” said British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson.
For BESIPPPP Bid Window 3 details.
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