Transmission Africa's Battery Storage Opportunity - Energy Storage Africa
Mar 31, 2026
Michael Cupit, an energy developer building battery storage projects in Malawi and Kenya, shares on-the-ground realities. He discusses why Africa is leapfrogging fossil grids and the commercial case for renewables-plus-storage. Hear comparisons of South Africa, Malawi and Kenya grids. He outlines long finance timelines, the role of DFIs and guarantees, and the challenge of building local O&M capability.
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Opportunity To Skip Fossil Fuel Grid Lock In
- Countries without legacy fossil-fuel-centric grids can build renewables-first systems and avoid the transitional fossil step.
- Michael contrasts spindly sub-Saharan networks built around generation and the exception of coal-based South Africa.
Batteries Staged Along A Congested Transmission Line
- South Africa placed 100 MW, 4-hour batteries at five substations along a congested 1,000 km transmission route to shift midday solar to evening demand.
- Michael describes the batteries filling when solar is high and releasing into evening peaks to support Johannesburg load.
Use Long Duration Capacity Contracts To Attract Finance
- Structure projects around long-term capacity contracts with the single buyer to create bankable revenue for investors.
- Michael recommends 15–20 year capacity/availability contracts where the utility pays for availability and system operator optimises dispatch.