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Image: The recently launched 20MW solar energy plant in South Sudan. Credit: Ezra Group A public-private partnership in South Sudan has launched the country’s first major solar power plant and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the capital Juba, where it is expected to provide electricity to thousands of homes.
The solar farm will have an attached battery energy storage system rated at 35MWh. The off-taker is the South Sudanese Ministry of Electricity, Dams, Irrigation and Water Resources, represented by South Sudan Electricity Corporation, the national electric utility parastatal company.
This power station is an attempt to (a) diversify the country's generation mix (b) increase the country's generation capacity and (c) increase the number of South Sudan's homes, businesses and industries connected to the national grid. The power station is reported to cost an estimated US$45 million to construct.
"South Sudan: Asunim and I-kWh join the Juba solar project (20 MWp)". Afrik21.arica. Paris, France. Retrieved 2 June 2022. ^ Carmen (9 February 2022). "Juba Solar PV Park, South Sudan". Power-Technology. New York City. Retrieved 2 June 2022. ^ a b Maria Gallucci (13 March 2020). "South Sudan Is Building Its Electric Grid Virtually From Scratch".
A battery energy storage system (BESS), battery storage power station, battery energy grid storage (BEGS) or battery grid storage is a type of energy storage technology that uses a group of batteries in the grid to store electrical energy.
Battery storage can be used for short-term peak power demand and for ancillary services, such as providing operating reserve and frequency control to minimize the chance of power outages. They are often installed at, or close to, other active or disused power stations and may share the same grid connection to reduce costs.
Battery storage power plants and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are comparable in technology and function. However, battery storage power plants are larger. For safety and security, the actual batteries are housed in their own structures, like warehouses or containers.
Battery energy storage systems are generally designed to deliver their full rated power for durations ranging from 1 to 4 hours, with emerging technologies extending this to longer durations to meet evolving grid demands.
Solar panels should be sold with motion sensors, floodlights and fasteners to prevent theft, and these security features should be subsidised by the government. Only 5% of South Africa’s energy comes from solar power while 85% is generated from coal. Loans, more subsidies and security for rooftop solar panels need to be put in place.
South Africa is making efforts to increase the use of solar photovoltaic energy. But it’s happening at a very slow pace. Solar photovoltaic contributes less than 5% to the country’s energy mix, despite the sunny climate, which is very favourable for solar photovoltaic energy generation.
As of 1 January 2016 the South African government gave a tax incentive through the South African Revenue Service for the installation of photovoltaic solar energy generation systems.
Photovoltaic solar systems greater than 1 MW p are depreciated with the schedule 50%, 30%, and 20% in the first 3 years respectively. Despite this aggressive tax incentive, South African companies are slow to adopt grid-connected photovoltaic solar systems due to the lack of public dialogue from the government concerning photovoltaic solar energy.
