Here is what you should know. Eskom has unveiled the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa. The Hex BESS site at Worcester in the Western Cape was officially opened on Friday. ALSO READ: REVEALED: Here is what Eskom spent BILLIONS on
Eskom has unveiled what it calls the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa. Here is what you should know. Eskom has unveiled the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa. The Hex BESS site at Worcester in the Western Cape was officially opened on Friday.
Rietfontein (1.54 MW/6.16 MWh), in the Northern Cape. With four hours of storage, this amounts to 833 MWh storage of distributed battery storage plants at eight Eskom distribution substation sites. This phase also includes about 2 MW of solar PV capacity. Cuprum (70 MW/280 MWh) and Kiwano (40 MW/200 MWh), in the Northern Cape.
The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project replaced the Kiwano project due to technology risk, cost, and a non-responsive tender process ending in February 2016. 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP). Signed 14 April 2018.; and
Phase 2: 144MW/ 616MWh Eskom has taken the necessary steps to ensure the successful implementation of the BESS project. Through the BESS project, Eskom aspires to diversify the existing generation energy mix by pursuing a low carbon future in order to reduce the impact on the environment.
This project can store up to 100MWh of electricity, enough to power a town for five hours, and will feature 2MW of PV capacity. It is the first phase of the utility’s BESS project plan to install 833MWh of additional storage at eight of its distribution substation sites across KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and the Northern Cape.
The global residential solar storage and inverter market is experiencing rapid expansion, with demand increasing by over 300% in the past three years. Home energy storage solutions now account for approximately 35% of all new residential solar installations worldwide. North America leads with 38% market share, driven by homeowner energy independence goals and federal tax credits that reduce total system costs by 26-30%. Europe follows with 32% market share, where standardized home storage designs have cut installation timelines by 55% compared to custom solutions. Asia-Pacific represents the fastest-growing region at 45% CAGR, with manufacturing innovations reducing system prices by 18% annually. Emerging markets are adopting residential storage for backup power and energy cost reduction, with typical payback periods of 4-7 years. Modern home installations now feature integrated systems with 10-30kWh capacity at costs below $700/kWh for complete residential energy solutions.
Technological advancements are dramatically improving home solar storage and inverter performance while reducing costs. Next-generation battery management systems maintain optimal performance with 40% less energy loss, extending battery lifespan to 15+ years. Standardized plug-and-play designs have reduced installation costs from $1,200/kW to $650/kW since 2022. Smart integration features now allow home systems to operate as virtual power plants, increasing homeowner savings by 35% through time-of-use optimization and grid services. Safety innovations including multi-stage protection and thermal management systems have reduced insurance premiums by 25% for solar storage installations. New modular designs enable capacity expansion through simple battery additions at just $600/kWh for incremental storage. These innovations have improved ROI significantly, with residential projects typically achieving payback in 5-8 years depending on local electricity rates and incentive programs. Recent pricing trends show standard home systems (5-10kWh) starting at $8,000 and premium systems (15-20kWh) from $12,000, with financing options available for homeowners.