While the potential for battery storage to solve the central challenge of wind and solar intermittency is now widely understood, adoption in Africa, a continent abundant with natural energy resources, remains troublingly low.
Short-term progress in this space is being constrained by both demand-and supply-side challenges, according to a recent analysis published by African Energy.
In summary, Africa currently finds itself at the back of the queue. There is, however, room for optimism, with the African Energy Live Data platform forecasting a considerable upsurge in the coming years.
The question of how African governments, multilaterals, DFIs and the private sector can maximise opportunities in this space is an intriguing and important one. AIX Power & Renewables will feature a number of panel discussions which directly engage with these topics, facilitating healthy and robust debate amongst the key stakeholders in
Africa’s power sector.
Sessions include the development of storage, the ramifications of supply chain disruption, and the challenges and solutions to intermittent renewables in Africa’s energy space, with
discussion points outlined below.
Focus on African storage, 16 November, 14h00 to 15h30
This session will examine the costs and applications of emerging storage schemes across the continent.
• What are the models currently being deployed on the continent?
• How sustainable are battery value chains?
Supply chain challenges, 16 November 11h15 to 12h45
Effects of rising costs and supply chain bottlenecks on the electricity supply industry.
• PV panels, wind turbines, electrolysers, logistics… Where is the industry experiencing disruptions in the supply of key project components?
• What impact will rising costs have on execution timelines and tenders?
• What scope is there for local manufacturing to de-risk supply chain disruptions?
Managing intermittency and guaranteeing baseload, 17 November, 11h15 to 12h45
• Managing intermittent renewables
• Calculating least cost – structuring capacity contracts
• Operating hydro, thermal, and batteries on flexible grids
• Ancillary service markets