Zanzibar’s BESS project is taking shape following an EPC tender issued by the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO). The state-owned company is seeking a contractor for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the 40MWh BESS. The project is expected to be located in Zanzibar’s Mtoni region. The BESS project is first of its kind in the region and is part of the Renewable Energy and Storage Infrastructure Component. The scope of this component entails the construction of a solar park with 18 MW solar PV plant. It is expected that the solar park project will be tendered separately under WB financing. Moreover, the solar PV plant will pilot utility-scale renewable energy development in the region. The aim of the BESS is to support the grid by providing supply and storing power generated from the park.
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The Scope of Implementation on Zanzibar’s BESS Project
Zanzibar’s BESS project is expected to be connected to the ZECO grid at one of the existing and planned 132kV substations. Once completed, the project is expected to have numerous benefits for the Zanzibar grid in terms of power supply. The system will facilitate saving power for the evening peak demand and also manage the variability of solar PV. Furthermore, it will facilitate the integration of other power supplies into the grid in the future. The contracting company expects that once the BESS is implemented and connected, it will have two main cases.
Firstly, it will help store electricity produced by the solar park during the day. Later, it will supply this energy to the grid when power is insufficient and there is peak demand. The second main use is to compensate for the fluctuations that are often present in solar power generation. Through these efforts, Zanzibar’s BESS project will ensure power accessibility and use are maintained. Furthermore, it will ensure that residents have a consistent supply of power, reducing the prevalence of blackouts.
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