Eskom gearing up for big grid-scale battery storage roll-out
State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to roll out battery energy storage systems (BESS) across multiple sites as part of a replacement plan for the 100 MW Kiwano concentrated solar power (CSP) project initially approved as part of the $3.75-billion World Bank loan extended to the group in 2010.
Speaking at the SA Energy Storage 2018 conference in Gauteng on Monday, Cigre Southern Africa’s Prince Moyo, who is also an Eskom GM, confirmed that the scale of the BESS project is aligned with Kiwano’s assumed daily production rate of 1 440 MWh, or 525 GWh a year.
The replacement 360 MW/1 440 MWh BESS project is expected to involve the deployment of battery solutions ranging in size from 1 MW to 60 MW across 90 sites, with the average size of an installation to be 4 MW/16 MWh.
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http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/eskom-gearing-up-for-big-grid-scale-battery-storage-roll-out-2018-10-22
SA’s renewable energy stance riles nuclear industry
South Africa’s nuclear energy industry is unhappy with the country’s energy plans, which pave the way for renewable energy while not mentioning nuclear in the mix.In August, energy minister Jeff Radebe published the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2018, a 20-year energy roadmap to meet SA’s future power needs.Click HereIn 2030, the government envisages the energy mix will consist of 34 000MW of coal, representing 46% of installed capacity; 11 930MW of gas, or 16% of installed capacity; 11 442MW of wind, or 15% of installed capacity; 7 958MW of photovoltaic (PV, or solar); and 4 696MW of hydropower, or 6% of installed capacity.
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https://www.itweb.co.za/content/xnklOvzbO64v4Ymz
Why South Africa can’t make a massive shift to renewables – yet
(MENAFN – The Conversation) There’s a lively debate raging in South Africa about the extent to which renewables should replace coal, particularly given the threat of climate change. The country’s electricity supply is currently highly dependent on coal. While it’s clear that coal power won’t disappear any time soon, is a 100% renewables-driven electricity generation scenario feasible – and desirable – in a generation from now.
A major global energy transition is redefining the way electricity is generated and supplied. In the past, electricity production was dominated by large and often polluting power mega-plants distributed through big power lines. But the trend is now towards small-scale units primarily feeding localised electricity networks.
These changes are being been driven by powerful factors. Firstly, there’s the grave threat of climate change which is being caused, to a significant degree, by the emission from coal power stations.
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https://menafn.com/1097603655/Why-South-Africa-cant-make-a-massive-shift-to-renewablesyet
Solar flow battery captures sunlight to provide electricity in remote areas
Scientists have developed a ‘solar flow battery’ that combines both a solar cell and a battery that can efficiently store sunlight as chemical energy for later on-demand use.
The device could be especially useful in making electricity more accessible in remote regions of the world, the developers said.
In order to keep solar energy practical for 24/7 use, it must be stored. Normally this takes two devices, a solar cell and a battery. The solar flow battery is designed to perform like both.
“Compared with separated solar energy conversion and electrochemical energy storage devices, combining the functions of separated devices into a single, integrated device could be a more efficient, scalable, compact and cost-effective approach to utilising solar energy,” said Song Jin, a professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2018/09/solar-flow-battery-captures-sunlight-to-provide-electricity-in-remote-areas/
Hydro and Fossil Fuels Power Electricity Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
According to EIA’s international electricity statistics, hydroelectric and fossil fuel-powered generation were the top sources of growth between 2005 and 2015 in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), defined as the 49 countries fully or partially south of the Sahara Desert. During that period, hydroelectric generation increased by about 40% in the region, while fossil fuel-powered generation increased by 15%. SSA electricity generation totaled about 420 billion kilowatthours (kWh) in 2015, including distribution losses and exported electricity, an increase of 22% during the decade.
Most of this growth occurred in nations other than South Africa. Although South Africa accounted for more than half of all generation in the region in 2015, its electricity generation only grew 1% during the previous decade. South Africa primarily uses fossil fuels for electricity generation, and bituminous coal accounted for more than 90% of its domestic electricity generation between 2005 and 2015, according to the International Energy Agency.
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https://oilvoice.com/Opinion/23002/Hydro-and-Fossil-Fuels-Power-Electricity-Growth-in-SubSaharan-Africa
Mathabatha: China’s investments will bring development in SA
JOHANNESBURG – Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has told Eyewitness News that China’s investment in South Africa will help develop the country instead of plunging it into debt.
His province has secured close to R140 billion in funding to resource the province’s special economic zone project.
He says the development will eradicate poverty and advance a better life for residents while offering opportunities for small businesses.
But he hasn’t gone into details of the terms and conditions attached to the deal.
Mathabatha says at least 21,000 jobs will be created starting in March.
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https://ewn.co.za/2018/10/01/mathabatha-china-s-investments-will-bring-development-in-sa
South Africa Gets R33m Loan From China In Order To Supply Zim With Electricity
Staff Reporter|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated that his country has gone out of its way to get a R33 million loan from China in order to be able to continue supplying electricity to Zimbabwe.
After an hour and a half of answering questions in parliament,Ramaphosa assured the house that his ruling African National Congress will not have any corrupt activity on the loans sort to increase power production for the region.
Ramaphosa said it would go towards developing the new Kusile power plant and increasing the capacity of South Africa’s electricity grid. This would allow the country to keep supplying nearby countries with electricity.
“Zimbabwe continues to import electricity from us,” Ramaphosa said.
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South Africa Gets R33m Loan From China In Order To Supply Zim With Electricity
Eskom’s coal crises deepens
Concerns about the overall state of Eskom’s ageing fleet of coal-fired power plants and the ability of Eskom to meet demand in the next five years are deepening. Already, Eskom is operating its emergency open-cycle gas turbines in the Western Cape almost daily to meet demand and avoid load shedding.
Unplanned plant breakdowns, as measured by the unplanned capability loss factor, are significantly higher than expected, while planned maintenance outages remain high, as measured by the planned capability loss factor. Eskom Spokesperson, Khulu Phasiwe joins CNBC Africa for more.
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https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2018/10/01/eskoms-coal-crises-deepens/
Low-cost natural gas to fuel Africa’s economic revolution
Gas remains a largely untapped energy resource in Sub-Saharan Africa with resource estimates suggesting offshore discoveries in the Rovuma Bason may turn Mozambique into one of the world’s largest natural gas exporters by 2023.
With growing interest in sustainability and low-carbon energy, access to abundant, low-price gas resources may help position the region for a new wave of commercial and industrial development.
Beyond Mozambique gas resources have been identified in Namibia, Angola, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania and Nigeria, each of which has the potential to contribute significantly to Africa’s energy security goals, as well as help drive the industrial ambitions across the region.
In fact, the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Power Africa initiative, which was initiated in 2016, launched the Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa this June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC. This roadmap aims to add about 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030. The roadmap is built on the fact that based on known reserves, there is potential for approximately 400GW of gas-generated power in sub-Saharan Africa.
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https://www.esi-africa.com/low-cost-natural-gas-to-fuel-africas-economic-revolution/
