Can giant batteries unlock Africa’s green industrial future?

Share: X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print When Tropical Storm Ana made landfall in Malawi in 2022, it hit the landlocked country's electricity system hard, destroying a third of its hydropower capacity and causing nationwide system shutdowns. Even before the storm, Malawi's power supply - generated mostly from renewables including solar and hydro - had been unreliable for many years, suffering from persistent outages. The Malawian government is now hoping to improve the stability of its grid power with the construction of a battery energy storage system (BESS) in its capital that will charge up with surplus electricity generated when the sun is shining and hydropower dams are running, and release it when needed. More than 80% of Malawi's electricity comes from renewables and the country has been expanding capacity 78 megawatts (MW) of diesel generation. But climatic impacts such as cyclones disrupt the grid and threaten to reverse energy transition gains. West Africa’s first lithium mine awaits go-ahead as Ghana seeks better deal  Already have an account? Log in here → Continue reading with free access For 15 years, Climate Home News has rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Join the community of readers who make this work possible. Join free and keep reading → It takes less than a minute. ×Log in to your account Forgot your password? When Tropical Storm Ana made landfall in Malawi in 2022, it hit the landlocked country's electricity system hard, destroying a third of its hydropower capacity and causing nationwide system shutdowns. Even before the storm, Malawi's power supply - generated mostly from renewables including solar and hydro - had been unreliable for many years, suffering from persistent outages. The Malawian government is now hoping to improve the stability of its grid power with the construction of a battery energy storage system (BESS) in its capital that will charge up with surplus electricity generated when the sun is shining and hydropower dams are running, and release it when needed. More than 80% of Malawi's electricity comes from renewables and the country has been expanding capacity 78 megawatts (MW) of diesel generation. But climatic impacts such as cyclones disrupt the grid and threaten to reverse energy transition gains. West Africa’s first lithium mine awaits go-ahead as Ghana seeks better deal  To ensure a more stable supply, Malawi is building the 20 MW/30 megawatt hour (MWh) battery storage system in Lilongwe with support from the Global Energy Alliance (GEA), under Mission 300 - an initiative led 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.