South Africa’s Hex Battery Project Powers Africa’s Energy Transition

South Africa has taken a major step in renewable energy storage with the successful deployment of the HEX Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a 100-megawatt-hour (MWh) facility backed by the African Development Bank.

Located in Worcester in the Western Cape, the HEX project is Africa’s first utility-scale battery storage facility of its kind and is helping stabilize electricity supply by storing excess renewable energy generated from wind and solar power.

The project delivers 20 megawatts (MW) of power with a storage capacity of 100MWh, enabling up to five hours of uninterrupted electricity supply during periods of peak demand. The system captures surplus renewable energy during low-demand periods and releases it when homes, farms, and factories need it most.

The initiative was supported through a $57.67 million concessional investment from the Clean Technology Fund, channelled via the African Development Bank. The project was implemented by South Africa’s state utility Eskom in partnership with South Korean engineering firm Hyosung Heavy Industries.

According to Eskom, the Hex facility forms part of a broader national battery rollout aimed at reducing pressure on South Africa’s electricity grid and addressing the country’s long-running power shortages.

Energy experts say the project is already influencing renewable energy planning across Africa, with several countries now incorporating battery energy storage systems into their power master plans following the success of the Hex project.

Beyond energy security, the project also delivered local economic benefits, including job creation and support for small businesses during construction.