South Africa has put into operation the world's largest solar battery, providing much-needed relief to the country grappling with daily electricity challenges. The solar battery, managed by Statec, a major player in the country's solar energy market, commenced supplying power to Eskom, the nation's sole electricity supplier, in mid-December.

The cutting-edge solar and battery facility is located in the sun-rich Northern Cape province, spanning 879 hectares and stretching 10 kilometers from north to south. With a combined solar capacity of 540 MW, the facility's colossal solar battery system can contribute up to 225 MW of power to the grid. Over 2,600 workers dedicated nearly 18 months to install almost a million photovoltaic modules, utilizing an impressive 9,000 kilometers of cabling, equivalent to the distance between South Africa and Norway.

To emphasize the scale, each of the 456 battery units matches the size of a shipping container, weighing approximately 3,000 kilograms. This project represents one of the world's pioneering and largest hybrid solar and battery storage facilities. Statec has entered a 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom, selling electricity from the facility, as part of the South African government's concessions for private power generation amid the ongoing load-shedding crisis.

In line with the country's commitment to renewable energy, South Africa aims to achieve over 8 GW of solar power by 2030. Statec, which already operates more than 448 MW of solar power in various locations across South Africa, has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Mogobe (Ferrum) battery energy storage project. This new project is set to add an additional 103 MW of capacity and 412 MWh of storage under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

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