Welcome and introduction by masterclass leader

Session One: Introduction to energy storage technologies

• Identifying the different forms of energy storage and their stages of development:
  • Batteries
  • Thermal
  • Flywheels
  • Pumped hydro power
  • Gravitational
  • Liquid air
  • Hydrogen
• Understanding where the market is going:
  • Which technologies are needed for which applications?
  • How do the different technologies compare in terms of scale and duration?
• To what extent do these technologies compete or are they complementary?
• Group Exercise : how to quantify the relative costs of the different technologies to determine which energy technology is the right one for you

Learning outcome: To get an understanding of developments in energy storage technologies and where the market is going  

Session Two: The different battery chemistries and their applications

• What are the major battery chemistries and their characteristics? Lithium-ion (Li-ion) vs NMC vs lead acid
• To what extent are Li-ion batteries now the battery of choice for energy storage? What are their advantages and disadvantages? How will the increase in the lithium price affect the adoption of Li-ion batteries?
• Examining developments in emerging battery chemistries – redox flow, sodium ion, solid state, etc. – are these serious competitors to the more established batteries?
• Group Exercise : how to identify which applications the different battery chemistries are best suited for

Learning outcome: to understand the different battery chemistries and their applications

Welcome and introduction by masterclass leader

Session One: The different business models for energy storage projects

• Reviewing applied business models in the ESS space. What is currently best practice?
• How to identify the key components of an ESS business model which will make it more commercially viable and financially attractive
• What is use-case stacking? To what extent is it possible to stack multiple revenue streams?
• What commercial structures do you need to consider when incorporating an ESS into a renewable energy project?
• Group Exercise : how to demonstrate the value proposition of an ESS project

Learning outcome: To understand the pros and cons of the different energy storage business models  

Session Two: How to ‘green’ the battery supply chain

• To what extent are end users concerned about the provenance of batteries and what implications does that have for your business model?
• How green are the different battery chemistries, i.e., batteries that have been manufactured with minimal impact on the environment?
• What technology can be used to audit and track movement in supply chains?
• What should you do if a violation is discovered?
• Group Exercise : identify the most important ‘green’ components of an ESS project that external stakeholders are looking for

Learning outcome:  For battery project developers to understand how to demonstrate their green credentials

Morning refreshments and networking

Session Three: The economics of a battery energy storage system (BESS)

• What are the major components of a BESS and the costs associated with each of these components?
• Quantifying the ongoing costs throughout a BESS’s lifetime that need to be accounted for, e.g., operating expenses, fixed system maintenance, decommissioning, end-of-life services, etc.
• What is the State of Charge (SOC)? What are the difficulties in calculating the SOC?
• Group Exercise : how to calculate the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of the different battery types and what this value actually means

Learning outcome: to get an understanding of the components and costs of a battery energy storage system (BESS)  

Session Four: Best practice in battery asset management

• What asset management tools are available for batteries and battery sites? What lessons can be learned from asset management for renewable energy?
• How can you maximise the operational performance of a battery?
• What are the best practices for structuring a site?
• What is meant by battery ageing? What influences the ageing of batteries and how can these effects be minimised?
• Group Exercise : explore best practices for optimising battery performance and lifetime

Learning outcome: to learn how to optimise battery performance

Morning refreshments and networking

Session Three: The safety issues around batteries and what can be done to mitigate them

• Why are batteries dangerous? Identifying the different safety risks when designing, developing and operating a battery
• What international technical standards must batteries comply with?
• How to minimise the different types of electrical and mechanical risks to the end user and environment
• Understanding which fire suppression systems to deploy
• Group Exercise : outline the key safety measures to put in place to reduce the costs of insurance and risk of litigation

Learning outcome: What battery operators need to know about operating batteries safely  

Session Four: The business model for long-duration energy storage

• What is the potential for long-duration energy storage? What are the emerging applications that are likely to see the biggest uptake?
• Taking a step-by-step approach on how to select the most appropriate technology for long-duration storage - will current technologies be sufficient or will alternatives need to be considered?
• Analysing projects that are currently at pilot stage and their cost effectiveness
• Group Exercise : how to evaluate the business case for hydrogen as a long-term energy storage solution in terms of reliability and resilience

Learning outcome: to understand the business case for long-duration energy storage

Lunch and networking 

Session Five: How is Eskom planning to incorporate energy storage as part of its plan to achieve security of energy supply?

In this session, a senior representative from Eskom will explain what energy storage projects they are involved with, the projected outcomes, challenges and how this will help to secure the supply of energy for the future.   
Learning outcome: To hear from the South African state-owned utility what their plans are around energy storage
Azwimbavhi Mamanyuha, 
General Manager: Engineering, Eskom  

Session Six: Energy storage in the African residential/rural market

• What is the potential for battery energy storage in the residential/rural market in South Africa and the rest of Africa?
• Where is demand coming from?
• What are the obstacles that could inhibit growth in the residential/rural market?
• Lack of local skills and equipment
• Cost of installing an ESS
• Challenges of installing and maintaining ESSs in rural areas
• Group Exercise : Create a business plan for an ESS in a rural African community

Learning outcome: To quantify the size of the opportunity in the African residential/rural market

Lunch and networking

Session Five: Panel discussion: The Commercial & Industrial (C&I) energy storage market in Africa

• Evaluating C&I growth potential in Africa – who are the main end users?
• What energy storage technologies are being used for C&I applications?
• Identifying applications that ESSs are currently addressing in the C&I space:
  • Reactive power compensation
  • Peak shaving
  • Load shifting

• Examining real-life use cases and lessons learnt

Learning outcome: To find out what the opportunities are for energy storage developers in the C&I market  

Session Six: Addressing the skills shortage in the energy storage industry

• What skills and expertise are needed in the energy storage space?
• How acute is the gap between the demand for and supply of energy storage professionals?
• What is needed to increase the supply of suitably qualified and experienced personnel?
• What role should technical colleges and universities play?
• Group Exercise : develop a strategy to identify, recruit and retain talent for your company  

Learning outcome: How to find people with the right skills

Closing remarks and summary

Close of Day Two, afternoon refreshments and networking