Independent power company Globeleq’s 153MW/612MWh Red Sands project has been awarded preferred bidder status in South Africa’s storage procurement programme.
The scheme is located in the Northern Cape, about 100km southeast of Upington, and will be the largest standalone battery energy storage system in Africa, according to the developer.
The project was originally developed by African Green Ventures (AGV), the South African development arm of Magnora ASA, a Norwegian company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
The development will take up approximately five hectares and will connect to the grid through the Eskom Garona substation.
The substation will be upgraded by the Red Sands project to ensure that full network support capabilities of the project’s batteries can be utilized.
Globeleq estimates that the project will cost approximately US$300 million (ZAR5.7 billion) and will take 24 months to construct after financial close which is expected later this year.
Globeleq’s chief executive Mike Scholey said: “I am delighted that we have received Preferred Bidder status for this very important project: the biggest standalone Battery Energy Storage System project in Africa.
“We look forward to working with the government to take Red Sands to financial close and into operations. Electricity storage is going to be key not only in helping South Africa meet its considerable industrial and domestic demand for energy but also in meeting growing demand right across Africa as more and more renewable energy projects benefit from the advances our industry has made with battery storage technology.”