The first battery storage system for energy has been installed by the Kenya Energy Generating Company (KenGen), initiating a strategy to store extra power produced during the day and use it at night to prevent high power costs associated with increased thermal power demand.
The 52-kilowatt modular data center at the company's Nairobi headquarters will be powered by a 1.16 megawatt-hour (MWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
An array of rechargeable batteries that can store energy from many sources and release it as required is known as a BESS. Additionally, it can be utilized to enhance network stability, provide backup power, and help balance the electrical grid.
Geothermal, wind, and solar power that is generated throughout the day but not consumed is stored in a BESS. The energy is then accessible during evening demand peaks, which makes it essential to Kenya's attempts to provide a consistent and reasonably priced power supply.
"We are lowering our carbon footprint and demonstrating how energy utilities can be leaders in sustainable innovation by incorporating battery storage into our data infrastructure," stated Peter Njenga, CEO of KenGen.
The first BESS is essential to KenGen's plans to implement comparable storage facilities widely, particularly for the Seven Forks scheme's unbuilt solar power plant.
When demand is low, electricity curtailment is essential to maintaining a stable grid because it helps prevent the transmission network from becoming overloaded, which could trip and cause a blackout.
As the firm that suffers the most from the forced reduction of geothermal power, KenGen accounts for 80 percent (754MW) of Kenya's current geothermal generating capacity.
In 2022, the Ministry of Energy announced that a BESS was required for any new wind and solar power plants looking to enter into power purchase agreements with Kenya Power. This is intended to reduce dependency on thermal plants during periods of high demand and improve grid stability.