Join every day information updates from CleanTechnica on e-mail. Or comply with us on Google Information!
UK firm Globeleq, the main unbiased energy firm in Africa, yesterday introduced that its Purple Sands venture within the Northern Cape has been awarded Most popular Bidder standing in South Africa’s Vitality Storage Capability Unbiased Energy Producer Procurement Programme (ESIPPPP). Globeleq is majority-owned by British Worldwide Funding (BII), the Growth Finance Establishment of the UK Authorities.
Battery storage is an important enabler of renewable-energy technology, and the marketplace for these programs is rising quickly in South Africa and worldwide as a method of resolving power crises and tackling local weather change. These programs present dependable energy provide on demand, even when the power grid is unstable, overcoming the challenges of intermittent wind and photo voltaic sources. They retailer power at instances of extra technology in order that it may be launched into the grid when technology falls in need of demand, serving to to mitigate the necessity for load-shedding.
Consultants say that widespread power storage is important to increasing the attain of renewables and rushing the transition to a carbon-free energy grid — that is key to serving to scale back South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels because it seeks to transition to scrub power. This R5.7 billion (US$300 million) funding due to this fact represents a flagship venture financed by the UK as a part of its dedication underneath the Simply Vitality Transition Partnership agreed at COP26.
The Purple Sands venture is within the Northern Cape, about 100km southeast of Upington, and was initially developed by African Inexperienced Ventures, a South African renewable venture improvement firm owned by Norwegian based mostly power agency Magnora ASA. The venture will cowl roughly 5 hectares (12 acres) and can hook up with the grid by means of the Eskom Garona substation. The substation can be upgraded by the Purple Sands venture to make sure that full community help capabilities of the venture’s batteries may be utilised.
Working intently with main world battery and balance-of-plant suppliers, Globeleq estimates that the venture would require an funding of roughly US$300 million and can take 24 months to assemble after monetary shut, which is predicted in 2024.
Globeleq is the most important unbiased energy produce in Africa, offering almost 1,800 MW of power in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Cameroon. Globeleq is a UK firm based mostly in London and backed completely with Official Growth Help (UK support).
Purple Sands can be Globeleq’s first Battery Vitality Storage Options (BESS) venture in South Africa however the Group owns and operates a mixed photo voltaic and BESS plant at Cuamba in Mozambique, and is growing BESS tasks throughout the African continent. Globeleq additionally owns and operates 8 renewable vegetation (6 photo voltaic PV, 2 wind) in South Africa with a complete producing capability of 384 MW.
Mike Scholey, Globeleq’s CEO commented: “I’m delighted that we now have acquired Most popular Bidder standing for this essential venture, and I stay up for working with the federal government and our companions to take Purple Sands to monetary shut and into operations. Electrical energy storage goes to be key not solely in serving to South Africa meet its appreciable industrial and home demand for power but additionally throughout Africa as extra renewable power tasks profit from the advances our trade has made with BESS expertise.”
British Excessive Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson stated: “It is a important funding in South Africa’s future. The UK is proud to play such an important position in serving to to deal with the power disaster with new expertise that can deliver energy provide stability and most significantly help South Africa’s ambition to cut back carbon emissions.”
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Need to promote? Need to recommend a visitor for our CleanTech Discuss podcast? Contact us right here.
Newest CleanTechnica TV Video
Commercial
CleanTechnica makes use of affiliate hyperlinks. See our coverage right here.