[November Thematic Report] ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS IN MALAWIby Prince Foley | 23-11-2022 13:48 |
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  Energy Storage Systems are the set of methods and technologies used to store energy which can be used at a later time to perfom useful operations. For instance, many renewable energy sources such as wind, solar energy are intermittent. Sometimes the use of renewable energy is not direct when the energy is available, but at other times. Then we need energy storage so that energy can be used when needed There are various methods and technologies to store various forms of energy. The choice of energy storage technology is typically dictated by application, economics, integration within the system, and the availability of resources. Energy storage systems are also involved in converting energy from forms that are difficult to store to forms that are more convenient or economical. MALAWI has not been left behind in this energy storage technology transition. The 20 megawatt Golomoti Solar Project in Malawi is the first of its scale in Southern Africa to include a battery energy storage system, which will enable the plant to provide reliable, renewable electricity and strengthen the national power grid. The project will feed 20 megawatt of clean electricity into Malawi¡¯s national grid. It is the first utility-scale plant in the region to include a battery energy storage system (BESS). Such systems enable renewables to displace fossil fuels, such as coal and diesel, which contribute significantly to climate change. Investment in solar-plus-storage power projects will be a big boost for a country that currently relies on hydroelectric power. The region¡¯s prolonged drought leaves Malawi vulnerable to frequent power cuts, as the majority of hydropower plants are located along the Shire River, which also experiences high levels of siltation that reduce flow levels and curtail generation capacity, forcing the national electricity utility, ESCOM, to resort to expensive diesel generators when demand peaks In addition to the high environmental cost through the associated carbon dioxide emissions, emergency power from diesel generators places a burden on the utility as the cost of supplying electricity cannot be fully recovered from consumers. For a country with one of the lowest electricity access rates in the region and one that aspires to be an industrialized economy, the current generation capacity shortfall is a major constraint. Malawi¡¯s ability to procure renewable energy can reliably and cost-effectively meet electricity demand, stimulate economic growth, and drastically reduce carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. Although renewable energy is beneficial in averting carbon emissions, its variable generation traits caused by weather conditions can still result in power supply challenges. An energy storage system is one of the tools available to deal with these challenges. Golomoti¡¯s BESS will employ lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 5 MW/10 MWh, and will sit within the project¡¯s interconnection substation compound. The 5 MW BESS will enable the plant to provide reliable power and promote network stability without relying on hydropower or diesel generation. Golomoti¡¯s Battery Storage System will: primarily be charged with excess solar energy (when the photovoltaic facility would otherwise be forced to curtail supply); discharge during cloud cover and charge as the clouds dissipate to reduce the variability of solar production during the day; in the evening, dispatch available energy to service evening peak demand; and provide ancillary services to the national grid. This solar power plant, and others like it, have put Malawi on a path to diversify its generation mix, reduce costs, and open the door to future rounds of private investment. And, as the impact of climate change grows, solar-plus-storage systems will be critical to the transition to a renewable-fueled world. References https://powerafrica.medium.com/building-malawis-first-utility-scale-solar-plus-storage-power-project-6aadd0904727 https://globalenergyprize.org/en/2022/06/09/malawi-has-implemented-its-first-energy-storage-project-in-sub-saharan-region/
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