POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS TO MITIGATE LOADSHEDDING IN AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
According to the International Institute of Sustainable Development, South Africa needs to install battery energy storage devices to solve the present electricity crisis and reduce load shedding.[i] The Institute recommends that the federal, state, and local governments employ energy storage technologies including grid batteries and pumped hydro, which might assist to balance the supply and demand for power, enhance grid stability, and increase the financial returns for energy suppliers.[ii]
LOAD SHEDDING AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
In order to preserve the integrity of the electric system, avoid catastrophic grid failures, and limit prolonged outages for consumers, it is occasionally essential to temporarily halt the flow of energy when demand approaches supply levels, otherwise known as "Load shedding".[iii] It is a way to help reduce power demand by switching off power to some customers, to prevent larger and longer outages. In Africa, the occurrence of load shedding is prevalent.[iv]
Unpredictable load shedding in an African nation is primarily brought on by multiple generations of failing plants.[v] Typically, these facilities are unable to satisfy the nation's populations’ need for power. In the context of Africa, load shedding refers to an occurrence that involves rotational, managed power outages in different parts of the nation. A country is divided into zones, and according to a rigorous timetable, power is turned off in each zone at different times. The load-shedding stage determines how frequently power outages will occur.[vi] Stages of load-shedding range from stage 1 to stage 8, with stage 1 being the least serious and stage 8 being the most serious, depending on how much generation capacity is needed to supply a nation's demand for power. Typically, outages endure between two and five hours. But many households endure daily power outages of up to six hours.[vii]
Several factors are responsible for load shedding, among which are aging infrastructure, lack of progress in adding new generation capacity to the national grid, coal plants being too expensive to maintain, etc.[viii] These consistent blackouts have negative impacts on the African economy and livelihood of citizens.
The solution is to purchase and connect renewable electricity producing capacity to the national power supply system.[ix] In many developed nations, the dream of a national energy generation network free of coal, which emits greenhouse gases, has already been effectively realized. The only way out of the downward spiral of power outages in Africa over the next few years is a rapid increase in renewable energy sources.[x] This is possible due to the decentralization and distribution capabilities of independent power producers for renewable energy sources. This reduces the chance of power outages and load shedding by generating power closer to where it is needed. [xi]
It is crucial to remember that several obstacles still need to be surmounted before renewable energy can play a bigger role in Africa's energy mix.[xii] The requirement for suitable infrastructure to support the grid connection of external sources is one of the major concerns. Since intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind need backup systems for when they are not producing electricity, the issue of storage must also be addressed, which has brought the need for battery energy storage systems (BESS).[xiii]
BESS has witnessed significant growth in recent times.. Battery technology has become Inc accessible as electric vehicle production and popularity have increased, and it can now legitimately compete in the market alongside generators.[xiv] During load shedding, batteries serve as an alternative power source. Battery storage provides a long-term and significantly more sustainable choice for power generation and utilization in the future, in addition to resolving the challenges load shedding is currently presenting. [xv]
By storing electricity generated during the day when demand is low and allowing for later dispatch when the system is restricted, BESS can also reduce grid limitations.[xvi] Therefore, as more traditional generation, namely coal-fired power plants, are decommissioned, BESS can be used to offset the fluctuation of renewable sources like wind and solar. [xvii]
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
To address load shedding and increase available capacity for improved energy access and also as a cleaner means of transiting, the battery energy storage system has been portrayed as one of the most viable means to combat and mitigate loadshedding. The following are policy recommendations that will scale up deployment of battery energy storage systems in the African continent[xviii]:
Legal Framework: Many of Africa's present energy laws and resource planning instruments lack the essential urgency to boost the market share of renewable energy sources and address the continent's electricity issue. Laws play an essential role in making attempts to phase out fossil fuels, for a "just transition" to a low-carbon economy, which is challenging but vital. The desired outcome would not be achieved by merely making policy proposals aimed at expanding the adoption of BESS technologies. Adding more renewable energy capacity until enough surplus energy is produced in large enough quantities to be stored in BESS is the first step in resolving Africa's fundamental energy dilemma, within a suitable legal framework.
Regulatory Governance: Utility-scale requirements for BESS may deal with locating appropriate sites for project deployment, safety standards for preventing dangers (such as fire, thermal runways, explosive, chemical, and toxic leaks, etc.), and asset end-of-life issues (such as circularity, reuse, and storage of used batteries). This will require the establishment of a regulatory body armed with technical know-how and standards for renewable energy technologies.
Environmental Factors: When it comes to renewable energy and the local/global issues that renewable energy seeks to address, integrated regulation is necessary to manage the interaction between energy production processes and the ensuing environmental issues. While regulation alone would not result in the necessary environmental restoration, it can at least guarantee that the extent to which the energy sector is affecting the environment is understood and curtailed. This will increase a country's ability to use its energy resources to promote environmentally sustainable development that is just in the sense of distribution, restorative justice, and social equity.
Market Structure: Many African nations still maintain vertically integrated monopolies today. In terms of electricity, this means that utilities handle the generation, transmission, distribution, and retail tasks. This restricts BESS's capacity to compete in the electrical market, which uses a large number of independent power producers. For instance, the United Kingdom (UK) model is a perfect platform to quickly deploy BESS capacity into the electricity system, as a result of the UK's unbundled energy industry and wholesale market.
Financial Investments: There are limited incentives and goals in place in Africa to promote investments in BESS technologies. Energy storage procurement goals for utilities are one of the quickest ways to promote energy storage, as was undertaken in California, (United States of America). The financial incentives available to industrial, commercial, and household clients to construct and use energy storage systems is a major area of concern for developed European nations. Although the U.S. Storage Act, which would have offered a 30% tax credit for installed energy storage, was not passed, it is still a great tool, as energy experts have opined.
CONCLUSION
Load-shedding is an occurrence common to the African continent on a large scale, due to dilapidated power infrastructure. Although the race towards energy transition is currently heightened, Africa must still take cognizance of battery energy storage systems as a viable tool to fully take hold of its energy insecurity issues, alongside the proper policy frameworks for full utilisation and efficient transitioning, based on the peculiar dynamics of the region.
[i] Theresa Smith, Role of Battery Energy Storage systems to mitigate loadshedding < https://www.esi-africa.com/news/role-of-battery-energy-storage-systems-to-mitigate-loadshedding/ > accessed 7 July 2023.
[ii] Ibid
[iii] Joan Igamba, How Eskom & Government Can Put an End to Loadshedding in SA (Green peace 22 February 2023) < https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/blogs/53187/how-the-government-eskom-can-put-an-end-to-load-shedding/ > accessed 7 July 2023
[iv]Ibid
[v] Ibid
[vi] Ibid
[vii] Ibid
[viii] Ibid
[ix] Ibid
[x] Renewable Energy to save SA from Energy Crisis < https://www.news24.com/news24/partnercontent/renewable-energy-to-save-south-africa-from-energy-crisis-20230316-2 > accessed 7 July 2023
[xi]Ibid
[xii] Ibid
[xiii] Ibid
[xiv] Ibid
[xv] Candi, Battery Storage to Beat Load Shedding < https://www.candi.solar/our-news/battery-storage-to-beat-load-shedding > accessed 7 July 2023.
[xvi] Ibid
[xvii] Sabrina Jardim, How battery storage can help SA to Navigate its Grid and Loadshedding Challenges < https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/print-version/how-battery-storage-can-help-sa-navigate-its-grid-and-loadshedding-challenges-2023-03-10 > accessed 7 July 2023.
[xviii] Regulatory Assessment of Battery Energy Storage Systems in South Africa < https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/609a53264723031eccc12e99/t/636e5649c3bc2e03d9ce3217/1668175437026/FINAL%2BRegulatory%2Bassessment%2Bof%2BBattery%2BEnergy%2BStorage%2BSystems%2Bin%2BSouth%2BAfrica.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiPi5yFo_z_AhXoRUEAHftyDQkQFnoECC8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1yG4lOQW-hfODoVWtxOOTY > accessed 7 July 2023.