Expanding Industrial Energy Storage Solutions Across Africa

How Wenergy Enables Reliable, Low-Carbon Power for Mining and Heavy Industry

As Africa accelerates industrialization, access to reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable power has become a decisive factor for productivity and competitiveness—especially for mining, metallurgy, and other energy-intensive industries.
In regions where grid infrastructure is weak or unavailable, energy is no longer just a utility—it is a strategic asset.

Against this backdrop, Wenergy is expanding its footprint across Africa by delivering energy storage–driven microgrid solutions tailored to real industrial challenges. By integrating battery energy storage systems (BESS), renewable generation, and intelligent energy management, Wenergy helps industrial customers reduce energy costs, stabilize operations, and accelerate the transition toward low-carbon power systems.

Addressing “Energy Island” Challenges with Smart Off-Grid Microgrids

Across many parts of Africa, industrial and mining sites are located far from urban centers and remain disconnected from national grids. These isolated locations—often referred to as “energy islands”—traditionally depend on diesel generators, leading to:

• High and volatile fuel costs

• Supply chain and logistics risks

• Excessive noise and carbon emissions

• Limited scalability for production growth

Sierra Leone: Fully Off-Grid Solar + Storage Microgrid for Mining

To overcome these challenges, Wenergy is deploying a fully off-grid hybrid solar-storage microgrid in Sierra Leone, centered on its Stars Series industrial liquid-cooled ESS. Scheduled for commissioning by December 2025, the system integrates:

• Solar PV generation

• Battery energy storage

• Diesel backup (for emergency use only)

• Mining loads

• A unified Energy Management System (EMS)

The EMS prioritizes solar power, optimizes battery charging and discharging, and minimizes diesel runtime. This architecture delivers stable, low-carbon, and cost-effective electricity tailored for remote mining operations. Thanks to its modular and scalable design, the project not only lowers total energy costs but also provides a replicable model for off-grid industrial energy systems across West Africa.

Proven Performance in African Industrial Energy Storage Projects

Before Sierra Leone, Wenergy successfully delivered multiple large-scale industrial microgrid projects across Southern Africa, validating the reliability, scalability, and economic performance of its energy storage solutions.

Zimbabwe: Utility-Grade Mining Microgrid with Energy Storage

In Zimbabwe, Wenergy implemented a hybrid microgrid for a major lithium mining operation that previously relied on 18 diesel generators, with electricity costs reaching USD 0.44/kWh. Although grid power was available at a lower tariff, frequent instability posed severe operational risks.

Integrated Solution: Wenergy deployed a solar PV + battery storage + diesel backup + grid-connected microgrid, designed to:

• Prioritize solar energy during daytime operations

• Store excess renewable energy for night-time use

• Use diesel strictly as a contingency resource

System Scale

• Phase I: 12 MWp solar PV + 3 MW / 6 MWh ESS

• Phase II: 9 MW / 18 MWh ESS

Project Results

• ~80,000 kWh daily electricity savings

• ~USD 3 million annual cost reduction

• Payback period under 28 months

This project demonstrates how energy storage enhances both cost control and power reliability in large-scale mining environments.

Zambia: High-Stability Microgrid for the Metallurgical Industry

Building on its mining microgrid experience, Wenergy expanded into Zambia’s metallurgical sector, where power quality and continuity are critical to production. The project site faced:

• Weak grid infrastructure

• Diesel generation costs of USD 0.30–0.50/kWh

• Extremely high requirements for voltage and frequency stability

Solution Overview: Wenergy delivered a solar–storage–diesel hybrid microgrid coordinated by an advanced EMS capable of sub-10 millisecond source switching between solar PV, battery storage, diesel generators, and grid supply when available.

System Scale: 3.45 MW solar PV + 7.7 MWh ESS

Key Outcomes

• Electricity costs reduced to USD 0.15–0.25/kWh

• Over 70% reduction in diesel consumption

• ~1,200 tons of CO₂ emissions avoided annually

• 3–5 year ROI, followed by sustained long-term savings

• 24/7 reliable power for energy-intensive metallurgical processes

Enabling Industrial Decarbonization at Scale

From Zimbabwe and Zambia to Sierra Leone, Wenergy continues to expand across Africa with energy storage–centric microgrid solutions designed for industrial applications. By combining:

• Industrial-grade battery energy storage systems

• Intelligent energy management platforms

• Deep system integration expertise

Wenergy enables customers to reduce energy costs, improve operational reliability, and transition toward low-carbon industrial power systems—supporting Africa’s industrial growth while contributing to global decarbonization goals.