Africa s first batch of photovoltaic energy storage policies

Storage helps ease solar integration, while larger balancing areas help shift power quickly and efficiently from where it is generated to where it is consumed. In the absence of an integrated grid and/or energy storage systems Africa will not be able to take full advantage of solar PV as the lowest cost generation source in history.

Given the greater difficulty of integrating solar PV in weaker grids and the frequent lack of capacity at the utility/system operator, utility-scale solar PV plants should be incentivized to integrate energy storage (e.g., battery storage) where necessary to mitigate output variability at the source.

The CMP being developed for the African continent show solar power growing from a very low base (~2% in 2023) to contributing approximately 15% of the electricity production mix in 2040. Current planning for the future diversified energy mix includes both solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP).

For optimal utilisation of solar PV capacity across Africa, discussions on establishing regional grid codes and harmonizing national grid codes should be given priority where possible. This should be considered a foundational element of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM). Set requirements for modern inverters.

Moreover, across the width of the continent, Africa can harness 15 hours of productive daylight. If combined with bankable policy and regulatory frameworks, and supported with storage, solar can provide nearly limitless and affordable power for all within a short delivery timeframe.

This electricity can be fed into the grid or stored in batteries for later use. Plant sizes vary from a few watts to over 1GW in large, ground mounted solar parks. PV power plants in Africa are currently not larger than 90 MW each. More than 4,000 solar PV plants are operational with an approximate 8GW in capacity.