Can Battery Storage Become the Backbone of Africa's Power System?

Battery storage is moving beyond emergency backup. For Africa's industries, mines and communities, it could become critical infrastructure.Hosted by Energy News Network (ENN) in partnership with The Electricity Hub, Let's Talk Energy continues its series recorded at the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town with Marius Harmse, Country Director at Tecloman.The conversation explores how Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) can reduce exposure to unreliable grids and diesel generation, support renewable integration and give major power users greater control over when and how they consume electricity.But the opportunity extends beyond reliability. Harmse argues that Africa should capture more of the battery value chain itself, from processing critical minerals to manufacturing components, developing local companies and creating jobs.As storage moves from backup to backbone, the episode asks a bigger question: can Africa turn its energy challenge into an industrial opportunity?