Reasons for Accra and Grenada needing to build BESS

Should Bess projects be allowed to connect to the grid?

As a preliminary matter, BESS projects need to be allowed to connect to the grid. From a regulatory standpoint, updating interconnection regulations is critical for scaling storage deployment to meet climate goals.

Does Bess work in Africa?

Experience in the African context is even more limited with very few grid-scale BESS projects that are operational. As an emerging technology it is expected that technical performance will continue to mature and improve. Already, rapid and significant improvements have been seen across most performances metrices.

What happens if a Bess project does not start construction?

Following the passage of IRA, if a BESS project has not begun construction before January 29, 2023, the project will be subject to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements to increase the available ITC from six percent (6%) of eligible costs to thirty percent (30%).

Which battery chemistries are relevant to Africa's grid-scale energy storage needs?

BESS includes multiple conventional and novel battery chemistries. The study identified seven2 commercially available and eight emerging3 battery options that are potentially relevant to Africa’s current and future grid-scale energy storage requirements. Among the commercial technologies, lithium-ion batteries are best known.