Having first invested in Primus Power through the Platinum Group Metals Development Fund (PGMDF) in 2014, Anglo American Platinum is both a strategic investor in Primus and a supplier of the platinum group metals (PGMs) used as a catalyst on the titanium electrodes inside the EnergyPod.
The eight EnergyPods will provide Amandelbult with 200 kW of power and 1,000 kWh of energy. These batteries are charged when demand for, and cost of grid electricity, is low. During times of peak, high cost electricity, the charged batteries release stored energy and reduce the mine’s draw from the grid.
The project at Amandelbult also complements recent support received from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to demonstrate EnergyPod performance, reliability and durability at Eskom, the national utility of South Africa. Anglo American Platinum, Primus and Johannesburg’s SolAfrica are closely cooperating on testing four EnergyPods at Eskom’s large-scale energy storage test facility in Rosherville, Johannesburg.
“South Africa represents an important growth area for Primus”, stated Tom Stepien, CEO of Primus. “Our long duration batteries will save Anglo American money and support their energy security, environmental and socio-economic goals.”
