Rethinking Power, Cooling and Energy Storage for Africa’s Critical Infrastructure

Last Updated 7 hours ago by Kenya Engineer

As Africa’s digital economy accelerates, the resilience of its industrial facilities, data centres and telecom networks has never been more critical. Yet engineers across the continent face a fundamentally different operating environment   from their counterparts in Europe or North America—one defined by grid instability, high ambient temperatures, water scarcity and evolving decarbonisation demands.

In this exclusive Q&A, Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director for Africa at Vertiv, shares insights drawn from projects across the continent. From weak-grid design philosophies and battery energy storage optimisation to cooling strategies in hot, dusty climates, he explains how engineers can build mission-critical infrastructure that is both resilient and future-ready. 

From your experience across Africa, what are the most common power-related failure points you see in industrial facilities, data centres, and mission-critical sites?

From my perspective, the most common power-related failure points in Africa typically originate at the grid level rather than within organisations themselves.

Many industrial facilities, data centres and other mission-critical sites operate in environments where grid power is inherently unstable. This includes frequent voltage fluctuations, brownouts and phase drops, which can disrupt operations even when on-site infrastructure is well designed. In some African markets, the challenge is compounded by the high cost of electricity, increasing pressure on organisations to balance resilience with operating efficiency.

In South Africa for example, past load shedding has highlighted challenges within the power distribution network. While generation capacity has improved, ageing transmission and distribution infrastructure, coupled with delayed maintenance at substations and power stations, continues to affect power quality and reliability.

As a result, reliability becomes the primary design consideration for critical facilities across the continent.

How does designing for African grid conditions differ from designing for Europe or North America—particularly in terms of redundancy philosophy and risk tolerance?

Designing for African grid conditions requires a fundamentally different approach than in Europe or North America, especially when it comes to redundancy planning and acceptable risk thresholds.

In many Western markets, facilities can often rely on multiple, genuinely independent power feeds sourced from separate substations or utilities. This allows for redundancy architectures that assume a high baseline of grid reliability and predictability.

Across much of Africa, by contrast, even apparently unconnected feeds may originate from the same upstream source and therefore share common vulnerabilities. This means that what appears to be two separate paths can still fail due to a single point of grid instability. As a result, infrastructure engineers must plan for a broader set of contingencies, including voltage irregularities, phase imbalances and prolonged outages.

Looking at it from a telco perspective highlights this difference clearly. In some African contexts, sites are entirely off grid by design, with no utility power available. In these cases, power architectures rely on hybrid solutions combining diesel generation and alternative energy such as solar power. Vertiv has deployed such systems at scale, for example supporting solar-enabled telecom sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that operate independently of the grid while meeting demanding uptime and efficiency requirements.

Designing in a way that recognises that on-site generation and hybrid systems are sometimes the primary source rather than a backup can reduce operational risk and support continuity for mission-critical systems in facilities where grid performance cannot always be guaranteed

Many facilities in Kenya and Nigeria are designed assuming “grid + generator.” What design assumptions in this model tend to fail first in practice?

The ‘grid plus generator’ model is widely used across Kenya and Nigeria, but in practice, some of its core design assumptions are often tested by real-world circumstances.

One of the most common challenges is the frequency of short-duration power interruptions. While generators can cover longer outages, they are not designed to repeatedly start, stop and cycle in response to brief grid breaks. Each interruption requires the generator to start, stabilise, run and then cool down before the next event. When outages occur in quick succession, this places significant mechanical stress on generator systems, increasing wear, fuel consumption and the risk of failure.

In many cases, designs assume that generators will only be called upon occasionally or for extended outages. However, in reality, frequent short breaks mean generators are used far more often than intended, reducing reliability over time and increasing maintenance demands.

This is where intermediate layers such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems or battery energy storage systems (BESS) can play a critical role. By absorbing short interruptions and smoothing power transitions, these technologies prevent unnecessary generator cycling, thereby protecting sensitive equipment and extending its lifespan. In African grid environments, this layered approach to power continuity is increasingly essential for improved resilience and more predictable operations.

Power reliability and energy storage

Battery Energy Storage Systems are gaining traction globally. In African industrial environments, where does BESS deliver the most immediate technical value—backup power, peak shaving, generator optimisation, or renewable integration?

In African industrial environments, battery energy storage systems deliver the most immediate value through backup power and diesel generator optimisation. BESS technology provides instant response to grid instability and load shedding, while Vertiv’s intelligent control solutions can help to optimise generator start-up, ramping and load sharing to reduce fuel consumption, maintenance and wear. Peak shaving and renewable integration offer additional value where tariff structures and renewable penetration support them, but reliability and generator efficiency remain the primary drivers addressed through Vertiv’s integrated power, controls, and lifecycle services.

In weak-grid environments, how do engineers determine the correct sizing of BESS to avoid both underdesign and unnecessary capital expenditure?

In weak-grid environments, Vertiv determines correct BESS sizing through a load-driven, scenario-based engineering approach that balances technical performance and capital efficiency. Vertiv analyses actual plant load profiles, transient behaviour and critical process sensitivity to define the required power capacity (MW), then sizes the energy capacity (MWh) based on grid disturbance duration, generator start and synchronisation times, and defined objectives such as ride-through and generator optimisation. Grid strength parameters, including voltage stability, frequency deviation and RoCoF (Rate of Change of Frequency), are assessed to define inverter performance and Vertiv’s control system, which coordinates the interaction between BESS, generators, transformers and switchgear. System performance is validated through modelling, simulation and operational scenario testing to support reliable operation without under design or unnecessary capital expenditure.

What are the most common mistakes you see when BESS is retrofitted into existing facilities rather than designed in from the start? 

The most common mistakes when BESS solutions are retrofitted into existing facilities stem from treating the battery as an add-on rather than an integrated part of the power system. Typical issues include undersized or oversized MW/MWh capacity due to incomplete load and transient analysis, poor coordination with existing generators, transformers and switchgear, and the lack of a clear control philosophy, leading to inefficient generator operation or nuisance trips. Other frequent challenges include insufficient space, cooling or protection provisions, and inadequate planning for operational and maintenance requirements over the system lifecycle. Vertiv mitigates these risks by leveraging its full-scope capabilities, including advanced controls and automation, transformers and switchgear integration, project management, installation assistance and lifecycle services,  retrofit BESS solutions to operate reliably, efficiently, and safely within existing infrastructure.

How does energy storage change the operational role of diesel generators in industrial plants? 

Energy storage shifts diesel generators from fast-response, primary assets to controlled, long-duration backup resources. In a Vertiv-integrated solution, the battery system provides instant response to grid disturbances and load transients, while Vertiv’s control system manages generator start-up, synchronisation and ramping under stable conditions. Vertiv transformers and switchgear enable safe, seamless power transitions and protect generators from frequent cycling and electrical stress. Supported by Vertiv’s project delivery, installation assistance and lifecycle services, this architecture reduces generator run hours, improves fuel efficiency, extends equipment life, and enhances overall plant resilience.

Thermal management and climate realities

High ambient temperatures are a reality across much of Africa. How should engineers rethink cooling system design in hot and dusty environments?

It is essential that higher ambient temperatures and environmental challenges like dust be considered in product selection. For Direct Expansion (DX) cooling systems, careful selection of equipment, particularly condensers, is vital to maintain reliable operation under higher temperatures. Indirect free-cooling solutions remain viable, especially when modern data centres operate with higher water and air temperatures, helping improve efficiency.

Regular maintenance is critical: dust accumulation on chiller or condenser coils can reduce performance and even cause system failures. Air cooling units should include proper filtration to prevent dust ingress into the data centre, protecting sensitive equipment and enabling consistent cooling performance.

With water scarcity becoming more pronounced in parts of East and Southern Africa, how are cooling strategies evolving away from water-intensive approaches?

Closed-loop chilled water systems, with or without free-cooling, are increasingly becoming the cooling solution of choice across most of Africa, as they minimise water consumption while maintaining efficiency. Direct expansion (DX) solutions remain the dominant choice in most local markets due to their lower water requirements and proven reliability.

While evaporative free-cooling systems can offer higher efficiencies, the limited availability and high cost of suitable water in many regions often outweigh the benefits of these technologies, even where weather conditions would otherwise support their use.

In your experience, where do engineers often overdesign cooling systems, and where do they unintentionally underdesign them?

In colocation data centres, overdesign is common because it is difficult to predict tenant needs and expected loads. Cooling systems may be oversized to accommodate potential future demand, leaving infrastructure underutilised for extended periods and tying up capital. Similarly, customers’ own data centres sometimes anticipate growth based on perceived trends, resulting in overcapacity.

Underdesign often arises in older or rapidly expanded sites that have not been modernised to support new data centre or switching infrastructure. In some cases, limited floorspace restricts the installation of adequate cooling systems, leaving facilities underprepared for current or future loads. Balancing these considerations is critical to enabling both operational efficiency and cost-effective design.

Digitalisation, monitoring and skills gaps

How critical is real-time monitoring and intelligent control in maintaining uptime—and what data points are most often ignored but actually matter?

Real-time monitoring and intelligent control are essential for maintaining uptime in industrial and mission-critical facilities.

Continuous visibility into power, cooling and infrastructure systems allows operators to detect early signs of stress or failure, respond proactively and optimise performance. While many facilities monitor obvious metrics such as voltage, temperature and load, other critical data points can be overlooked. These could include phase imbalances, battery state-of-charge trends, humidity variations, airflow obstructions and the operational cycling of generators or UPS systems.

By tracking these less obvious indicators, engineers can identify developing issues before they escalate, improve system reliability and deliver consistent service delivery – especially in African environments where grid instability and harsh conditions can exacerbate minor faults. Intelligent control systems can then automatically coordinate power and cooling assets, reducing manual intervention and maximising uptime.

African facilities often operate with lean technical teams. How should engineers balance automation versus human intervention in critical infrastructure?

Automation and intelligent control systems help monitor, manage and respond to power and cooling infrastructure in real time, reducing the burden on smaller teams and providing rapid, accurate responses to issues. However, human oversight remains essential for strategic decision-making, complex troubleshooting and maintenance planning.

The key is to use automation to handle routine monitoring, alerts and standardised operational adjustments, while reserving human expertise for tasks that require judgment, experience and critical thinking. This approach maximises uptime, reduces the risk of errors and means that limited personnel can focus on high-value activities that safeguard the facility’s mission-critical operations.

What skills gaps do you observe among engineers and technicians maintaining critical power and cooling systems in the region?

One of the key skills gaps we observe among engineers and technicians in Africa is in advanced cooling technologies, particularly liquid cooling systems.

As data centres and industrial facilities increasingly adopt liquid cooling to improve efficiency and enable higher-density deployments, technicians require specialised knowledge in design, installation, operation and maintenance. Training and upskilling are therefore critical to support these systems to perform reliably. Vertiv has already begun rolling out targeted liquid cooling training across the EMEA region, recognising the importance of developing local expertise to assist evolving infrastructure requirements.

Looking ahead

How do you see Africa’s push toward decarbonisation influencing critical infrastructure design over the next 10–15 years?

As data centre workloads become denser, power consumption rises, making energy efficiency a significant factor in reducing carbon emissions. Alternative and hybrid power solutions, such as solar power, gas generators, geothermal energy, battery energy storage systems and hydropower, are already being integrated into projects across the region. While technologies like small modular nuclear plants are being explored globally, they remain a longer-term prospect for Africa.

Innovation in data centre design is also contributing to decarbonisation. For example, servers that can operate at higher inlet temperatures can reduce the need for traditional chillers in certain applications, while prefabricated, modular solutions, like Vertiv™ OneCore, can help to decrease construction waste, lower on-site traffic and reduce embodied carbon through efficient use of recycled materials. Together, these approaches enable African facilities to meet growing digital demand while aligning with energy efficiency goals and lowering their overall carbon footprint.

For engineers designing facilities today, what future-proofing decisions will matter most by 2035?

For engineers designing facilities today, several decisions will be critical by 2035. The transition to low‑GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants is one key area. Refrigerants commonly used today, such as R407C and R410a, are being phased out in Europe over the next few years, and similar regulations are expected in Africa within the next five to seven years. For future-ready new data centres, adopting solutions compatible with next-generation refrigerants – such as R513a or R1234ze – is highly advisable.

Modular and scalable designs are also essential to support future growth. Facilities should be built to accommodate evolving equipment and workloads, allowing upgrades every few years without a major redesign.

Additionally, emerging regulations, such as data centre ‘scorecards’ tracking energy sources, efficiency and waste, will increasingly influence operational and design decisions. Planning for these trends today contributes to improved reliability, compliance and environmental efficiency for decades to come.