Are energy storage boom times extending to Africa?

Boom times for energy storage have extended to the continent of Africa, with a 10-fold increase in installed storage supporting grids and renewable energy penetration.

Does Scatec have a solar-plus-storage site in South Africa?

Scatec’s Kenhardt solar-plus-storage site in South Africa (above), which went online at the end of 2023. Image: Scatec. Africa’s energy storage market has seen a boom since 2017, having risen from just 31MWh to 1,600MWh in 2024, according to trade body AFSIA Solar’s latest report.

How many GWh of storage projects are being built in Africa?

AFSIA said similar projects have also been launched in Senegal, Malawi, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia and Mauritius, for a total of 500 MW plus. In total, AFSIA says around 18GWh of storage projects are under development across Africa. Tristan is an Electrical Engineer with experience in consulting and public sector works in plant procurement.

How has energy storage changed in 2022?

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.

Is solar PV a focal energy resource for Africa?

Solar PV, which, as reported by our colleagues at PV Tech in their write-up of the AFSIA report, reached 19.2GW in 2024, increasing by 2.5GW on 2023 levels, is becoming the focal energy generation resource for Africa.

How many MWh is installed in Africa in 2024?

In 2024, an estimated 1,500 MWh was installed across African nations. Accounting for more than half of this figure alone was the Kenhardt 1-2-3 project by Norwegian renewables developer Scatec, a solar-plus-storage plant successfully commissioned in 2024.