Understanding Energy Storage: Insights from the Book Sprint in Cape Town

Collaboratively writing Understanding Energy Storage

The book Understanding Energy Storage was produced during a Book Sprint hosted by Power Africa, the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), and the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) in Cape Town in June 2022. The Book Sprint brought together 12 experts from governments, law firms, and engineering firms to collaborate on a book about energy storage. The Book Sprint was facilitated, illustrated, copy-edited, and produced by the Book Sprints team. As the authors of Understanding Energy Storage note,

 “Our journey began with a spirited discourse and quickly progressed to a furious pace of writing with occasional interruptions for the introduction of brilliant ideas and critical insights. There was a surprising amount of consensus on some topics and an unexpected level of debate on others. The outcome is a product that reflects this teamwork rather than the personal opinions of the authors or the institutions that they represent” (Understanding Energy Storage, p.10). 

The authors: A diverse group of experts

The authors of Understanding Energy Storage represent a diverse group of experts from around the world, with backgrounds in law, engineering, finance, and policy. They include attorneys, engineers, energy specialists, and investment officers, all of whom have worked on energy storage projects and policy development. Hailing from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Mauritius, the United States, and the United Kingdom, these authors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table. Their collective expertise is reflected in the comprehensive analysis of energy storage technologies, markets, and regulatory frameworks.

Insights from Understanding Energy Storage

The book covers policy and regulatory frameworks and financial aspects of energy storage projects. It is part of Power Africa’s Understanding Series, which aims to provide policy makers, regulators, and other stakeholders with practical guidance on key issues in energy development.  As renewable energy sources like wind and solar become more prevalent, energy storage is needed to balance supply and demand and ensure a stable and reliable energy supply. The book provides:

• An overview of how evolving energy storage technologies can be used to improve reliability and accessibility,  and contribute to decarbonisation.
• A roadmap for a regulatory framework that will catalyse investment into utility-scale energy storage.
• A step-by-step guide to planning, procuring, and financing energy storage solutions to meet growing energy needs.

The power of collaboration

Understanding Energy Storage is a testament to the power of collaboration and the effectiveness of the Book Sprint methodology. By bringing together experts from different backgrounds and countries, the Book Sprint was able to produce an overview of the landscape including the regulatory as well as the technical perspectives. The experts leveraged their collective expertise to produce insights that would be difficult to achieve through traditional methods.