Eventually I will get a chance to cover many more countries individually, but today it is an energy alliance in East Africa. Renewables are growing fast there, but there are major grid problems that mean that storage is a key factor in all of these countries. We will start with an overview, and then highlight plans in each country.
Energy Storage is the key to energy access in East Africa
Links added.
Pumped hydro dams are prominently used as energy storage in East Africa, but that is changing with the increase in renewable energy and battery energy storage systems. The Eastern Africa countries have announced a total of more than 2,000 MW in new solar PV and wind power projects over the next three years. Battery systems in both Front Of The Meter (FOTM) and Behind The Meter (BTM) applications provide for energy access leading to rural electrification, diesel generator replacement, and support grid systems.
Background
Countries such as Libya, Egypt, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda are in Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP). In East Africa, pumped hydro dams are usually the main source of energy storage. In essence, a scan across most countries in the region shows that reliance on hydroelectricity is significant. Lately, other sources of generation, namely wind and solar, are starting to be built at utility-scale, and that has driven the conversation towards deployment of battery energy storage. This storage interest is particularly strong in Kenya, where variable renewable energy generation now accounts for 14% of installed generation capacity.
The Eastern Africa countries have announced more than 2,000 MW in new solar PV and wind power projects. These new projects are estimated to start online over the next three years. On the commercial and industrial front, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technologies have made headway, especially in both Front Of The Meter (FOTM) and Behind The Meter (BTM) applications.
The use cases lend themselves to three broad categories:
- Energy Access Projects / Rural Electrification
- Diesel Abatement / Replacement
- Weak Grid Mitigation.
In industrial hubs, most activity in Eastern Africa is concentrated, which is well supplied by the national grid. However, you do come across agricultural-processing facilities that are located relatively far from these industrial parks. Often, they happen to be situated at the end of a long distribution line with brownouts. Brownouts are voltage and frequency fluctuations leading to equipment at the factory sites being damaged or rendered unusable. By combining on-site generation (Solar PV) and BESS, grid-interactive mini-grids solve the brownouts problem. The advanced BESS controls enable these sites to monitor grid conditions and island the site when there is a grid outage or severe deterioration on power quality.
A notable weak grid mitigation project is a 4 MWh BESS co-located with a 1.5MW Solar PV + grid at a Tea Plantation and factory in Kenya.
Renewable energy in Africa — Wikipedia
The developing nations of Africa are popular locations for the application of renewable energy technology. Currently, many nations already have small-scale solar, wind, and geothermal devices in operation providing energy to urban and rural populations. These types of energy production are especially useful in remote locations because of the excessive cost of transporting electricity from large-scale power plants. The applications of renewable energy technology has the potential to alleviate many of the problems that face Africans every day, especially if done in a sustainable manner that prioritizes human rights.
Libya
Libya Renewable Energy Strategic Plan 2013-2025
Egypt
Egypt Prepares For A Renewable Energy Revolution
Sudan
There are two Sudans, after their long-running civil war, so they get two links today.
Renewable energy potential in Sudan
South Sudan to embrace renewables
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Several countries are claiming parts of DRC, so I am giving them two links also. They have a short Atlantic coastline on the West of Africa, but they abut several East African countries, and EAPP isn't going to tell them they can't join.
Renewable Riches: How Wind and Solar Can Power DRC and South Africa
Solar supporting peacekeeping in DR Congo
Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Renewable energy programme targets to install 1,000MW
Kenya
Renewable Energy Portal — go.ke
Rwanda
We took a deeper look at Rwanda last week.
Renewable Friday: Building the Renewable Grid Out to the Villages in Rwanda
Tanzania
100% RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR TANZANIA
Access to renewable energy for all within one generation
Prepared for: Bread for the World
Is your part of the world doing something we should highlight here?
Do you work with any of these countries, or organizations doing so?
I have had dealings with One Laptop Per Child in Ethiopia, Rwanda, and other African countries where the plan to get laptops to all schoolchildren depended on getting electricity and broadband to every village. I joined the Peace Corps in 1966, and was sent to South Korea. I count Peace Corps Volunteers who served around the world as my friends.
I was in the first high-school class on Swahili in the US. (Extra-curricular, but still.) Now anybody can learn lugha ya Kiswahili on Duolingo and other sites online.
Hujambo, bwana? Kiswahili ni lugha kuu ya Kenya na nchi za jirani.