MechChem Africa May-June 2023

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A new indoor energy storage testbed at the CSIR is set to boost sustainable energy storage in South Africa. CSIR Energy Storage Testbed Project Leader, Renesh Thakoordeen, explains. Energy storage testbed to boost battery industry

VITO Energy Technology Project Manager Carlo Mol says the energy storage testbed is the first step towards a broader cooperation between CSIR and VITO. “The CSIR and VITO started their intense cooperation at the end of 2020, thanks to financial support from the Government of Flanders for the indoor energy storage testbed. The project funding enabled us to make investments in high-tech equipment for testing batteries in South Africa and build local capacity beyond this. It also gives the CSIR and VITO the opportunity to share knowledge on sustainable energy storage solutions for the benefit of South African stakeholders. We are looking forward to future collaborations as the CSIR and VITO have signed a memorandum of understand ing in April 2022 to extend their research and innovation cooperation to a broad range of sustainable technologies.” The CSIR Indoor Energy Storage Testbed has been established within the frame work of the World Bank Energy Storage Partnership. The partnership recognises that energy transitions – with increased wind and solar power use – are underway in many countries, and that to integrate renewable resources into grids, energy stor age is key. The World Bank Group therefore established a partnership to help foster international cooperation on technology research and development in this field. This in turn opened the way for the CSIR-VITO collaboration on an energy storage testbed to primarily performance test lithium-ion batteries and emerging

CSIR Researcher and project lead Ranesh Thakoordeen (Left) and CSIR Researcher Sumi Moodaliyar (Right) .

A new indoor energy storage testbed at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will strengthen South Africa’s ability to support local players in the battery value chain, thereby boosting the country’s capabili ties in renewable energy storage. The collabo ration falls within the ambit of a collaboration agreement between the CSIR and VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research. The newly established Indoor Energy Storage Testbed equips the CSIR to test the performance and reliability of lithium ion batteries, as expressed by their storage capacity, lifecycle, and depth of discharge. This will help build capacity in the South African battery industry, as lower-capacity clients – small and medium-sized enter prises, manufacturers, and importers – will have access to indoor testbed facilities and overall market knowledge can be improved. VITO and the CSIR will focus on energy stor age technology innovation and localisation. “The facility will provide much-needed testing for the country. It will be used as a service for technology developers or im porters who would like to characterise their technologies for market entry. Additionally, it is a stepping-stone towards addressing the intermittency challenge of renewable energy. Many businesses and residential homeowners are turning to solar power and batteries to secure their energy supply. But ensuring the quality of such systems is key. The testbed will assist in creating the standards for lithium-ion batteries in South Africa,” says CSIR Energy Storage Testbed Project Leader Renesh Thakoordeen. CSIR Chief Executive Officer Dr Thulani Dlamini expressed the organisation's ap preciation for the level of collaboration and scientific support it has received from the

Government of Flanders in Belgium, and its research institutions. “The facility brings hope for sustainable energy and a secure energy future. How we store energy is at the heart of the successful use of renewable re sources such as solar and wind. A developing country such as South Africa must think of technologies that offer long-duration stor age, have low operational and maintenance requirements and can withstand harsh climatic conditions,” says Dlamini. The facility is equipped with a high precision system for battery module and pack tests. It has many channels to test nu merous batteries in parallel under dissimilar test cycles. It also has a new-generation temperature chamber to provide data on the operating behaviour of batteries used in harsh climates – which will impact optimal performance. The harsh temperatures in the Northern Cape, for example, can affect batteries in mine machinery and vehicles. The testbed will provide valuable data on the batter ies running these machines, enabling the mine to extend machine battery life and provide a safe operating zone.

energy storage technologies for the South African and sub-Saharan market. q To see a video about the CSIR’s new Indoor Energy Storage Testbed, scan the QR code here;

Ranesh Thakoordeen demonstrates the indoor energy storage testbed at a press conference at the CSIR. The facility also has a new-generation climate chamber to provide data on the operating behaviour of batteries at different ambient temperatures.

48 ¦ MechChem Africa • May-June 2023