Op-Ed: Energy storage is the key to energy access
Pumped hydro dams are prominently used as energy storage in East Africa, but that is changing with the increase in renewable energy
South Africa's major power stations, three of which are the biggest in the southern hemisphere, are located in Mpumalanga. The building of the new Kusile power station is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country's history. Mpumalanga also has fertile soil that supports diverse farming operations.
As noted by AFSIA Solar, one of the most notable solar-plus-storage developments in Africa is Norway-based independent power producer (IPP) Scatec's 225MW/1,140MWh Kenhardt project in South Africa. The site started operation in late 2023 (pictured above).
This has resulted in an increase in energy storage levels in recent years. In 2022, the continent had around 50MWh of energy storage capacity installed. Since then, energy storage capacity tripled in 2023 and then experienced another 10-fold increase in 2024. Image: AFSIA Solar.
Situated in the Drâa-Tafilalet Region of the Kingdom of Morocco, approximately 10 km from the city of Ouarzazate, the 580MW Ouarzazate Solar Power Complex is the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world.
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