Large Scale Storage Projects Using Clean Energy Such As Wind And Solar Can Accelerate The Energy Transition

South Africa is at a critical moment in its energy transition: striving to decarbonize the economy and ensure that everyone has access to reliable and affordable energy. The storage of renewable energy is crucial for this transformation. Solar and wind energy are not always available. In order to maintain the stability of the national power grid, renewable energy must be stored somewhere and reliably supplied.
The country has made significant progress in integrating renewable energy into the grid through its plan to supply electricity to independent renewable energy generators. Since 2010, it has attracted 110 private independent power projects and invested 277.2 billion rand ($14.6 billion) in renewable energy.
There are different types of energy storage. For example, lithium-ion batteries can store different amounts of energy, ranging from small (phone size) to large (city size), depending on their size and purpose.
Pumped hydro power is another way of storing energy. This is achieved by pumping water from lower dams to higher dams during off peak hours, and then releasing the water to generate electricity when needed. This is similar to rechargeable batteries, but using water and gravity.
Thermal energy storage devices are another option that heats or cools substances for future use of energy. We are currently discussing the energy storage potential of green hydrogen.
In the past, pumped storage projects have been an important component of South Africa's power generation capacity expansion plans. However, people's interest in this form of renewable energy storage has weakened. This is mainly because the industry is concerned that there may not be enough water in the future to achieve these goals.
Today, as South African power company Eskom begins building battery energy storage systems, large-scale renewable energy battery systems are considered the best choice for storing renewable energy in the future.
There are several factors that complicate South Africa's transition to a low-carbon energy system. Firstly, due to the wealth of coal and the economic importance of the mining industry, there has been a historical dependence on coal. This dependence has generated resistance to change both politically and economically.
Secondly, there is a lack of investment in expanding the national power grid. It must be modernized to provide renewable energy. Eskom is heavily in debt. Due to the majority of income being used to repay debts, Eskom has limited funds for improving infrastructure.
The short-term or inconsistent political commitments of the government are another issue. These may bring uncertainty to the future of clean energy investment, making it difficult for companies to make long-term plans.
However, a plan is needed. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are intermittent, and their production may fluctuate depending on weather conditions and time of day. To address this issue, countries such as the UK, Germany, and the US have established grid scale energy storage systems: large-scale systems used to store electricity for later use. This helps balance the supply and demand of the power grid.
Grid scale storage includes batteries and other technologies such as compressed air energy storage. South Africa faces similar challenges in renewable energy intermittency and can benefit from adopting these validated energy storage technologies.
Battery energy storage technology can provide basic services for the power grid. But without clear regulations or guidelines on how energy storage can provide these services, utilities and market operators may be unwilling to invest in renewable energy storage systems. Regulations need to be established