Project

AGV Projects (Pty) Ltd (AGV) is developing the Red Sands Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility and associated infrastructure (‘’the Project’’). The Project has been awarded Preferred Bidder status in the first bid submission phase of South Africa’s Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) and Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) status in terms of the Infrastructure Development Act (Act No. 23 of 2014) (IDA). The proposed Red Sands BESS facility and associated infrastructure was granted Environmental Authorisation (EA) by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) on 11 August 2022 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514) and amended on 5 May 2023 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM1), 1 July 2024 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM2), 2 September 2024 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM3) and 16 September 2024 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM4), respectively.

The Project will be developed in phases with the BESS and associated infrastructure being developed as the first phase and thereafter the photovoltaic (PV) facility and associated infrastructure developed in phase two. The amended EMPr has been compiled for the development of the Red Sands BESS facility and associated infrastructure. The original EMPr was compiled by Savannah Environmental based on the Basic Assessment (BA) undertaken (Savannah Environmental, 2022), and has been updated by OMI Solutions (Pty) Ltd in compliance with condition 15 and 16 of the EA as amended on 1 July 2024 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514/AM2).

In terms of the Duty of Care provision in section 28(1) of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), the Project Developer must ensure that reasonable measures are taken throughout the life cycle of the Project to ensure that any pollution or degradation of the environment associated with the Project is avoided, minimised or mitigated. The amended EMPr must be implemented to protect sensitive on-site and off-site features through controlling construction, operation and decommissioning activities that could have a detrimental effect on the environment, and through avoiding or minimising potential impacts. The EMPr must be adhered to and updated as relevant throughout the Project life cycle. Any updates must be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (GN R982 of 2014, as amended).

The proposed Project will cover approximately 9,5 hectares (ha) and will include the following infrastructure:

• Pre-assembled solid state battery energy storage units of up to 3,5 metre (m) high within a battery area of 5,85 ha;
• Power conversion systems and associated medium voltage equipment (inverters, transformers, switchgear, protection and control equipment);
• Site and internal access roads;
• An operation and maintenance (O&M) building area (including control rooms, site offices, maintenance buildings, workshop and storage areas, parking areas and ablution facilities);
• Gatehouse and / or security building;
• A 33 / 132 kV on-site Independent Power Producer (IPP) Substation (included in the approved generic EMPr approved in Condition 14 of the EA granted by DFFE on 11 August 2022 (DFFE Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/1/2514));
• A laydown area of up to 1 ha;
• 33 kV electrical reticulation cabling between the Project components and the on-site IPP Substation; and
• Fencing around the Project development areas.

In order to address the degradation of the BESS facility over time and maintain the agreed contracted capacity, the BESS facility will require augmentation. This is a process of adding new battery units, including the installation of associated conversion, protection and control equipment and electrical reticulation cabling, to integrate with the existing infrastructure. The augmentation will take place within the already cleared 5,85 ha battery area footprint, typically every 2 to 4 years, during the operation of the BESS facility.

The Project will also include a 132 kV Switching Substation adjacent to the IPP Substation that will be handed over to Eskom (included in the generic EMPr subject to a separate application for EA (Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform (NC DAERL Reference: NC/BA/39/ZFM/!KHE/GRO1/2024)).