Janet Wilhelm
Development Dialogue: Building a local battery industry
The TIPS Development Dialogue on building a local battery industry was held on Wednesday 18 October. Information about the dialogue and speakers, as well as a video recording and copies of the research and presentations are available here.
Medical devices value chain
TIPS Development Dialogues 2023
Medical Devices Value Chain
Monday 23 October 2023 at 11:00 AM – 13:00 PM.
11:00 Opening and welcome by Moderator: Dr Michelle Mulder (SAMRC)
11:10 – 12:20 Presentations and discussion:
- Dr Julius Mugwagwa (STEaPP) (University College London) – Presenting the IEJ Research Paper on Localising Medical Manufacturing in Africa
- Liako Mofo (TIPS) – Presenting on the South African Medical Devices Masterplan – Value Chain Analysis Study
- Victor van Vuuren (HolaVic) – Discussant: Insights from Manufacturers and Industry
12:20 – 12:50 Discussion
12:50 – 13:00 Closure
Presentations
Victor van Vuuren (HolaVic) - Medical devices
Dr Julius Mubwagwu (STEaPP) (University College of London) - Localisation of medical manufacturing in Africa
Media
Regulation and certification remain key for medical devices manufacturing in Africa - Schalk Burger, Engineering News 24 August 2023
Research
Localisation of medical manufacturing in Africa - Institute for Economic Justice November 2022
Background
South Africa is a large procurer of medical devices and pharmaceutical projects, with a well- established health care system and network. The COVID-19 pandemic as well as supply-chain disruptions highlighted the need to have domestic capacity in producing medical products. Further, building on the established demand for this sector, localisation of medical products would strengthen industrial capacity, create employment and reduce trade deficits.
This Development Dialogue will engage on the latest evidence for the development of domestic and Africa-wide capacity in the production of medical devices and products.
The Development Dialogue draws on recent TIPS research on the medical devices value chain in South Africa, IEJ research on localising medical manufacturing in Africa, and insights from the current process to develop a South African medical devices masterplan.
About the Speakers
Moderator
Dr Michelle Mulder is Executive Director in Grants, Innovation and Product Development at the South African Medical Research Council. She has a doctorate in Medical Microbiology from the University of Cape Town and has post-doctoral experience in a start-up biotechnology company emanating from the University of Cambridge (UK). She has consulted extensively in technology innovation and has been involved for the last 18 years in the strategic management and commercialisation of the SAMRC’s intellectual property and in capacity building in these areas in Southern and East Africa. She currently serves as a board member of two SAMRC-linked companies and is a member of the NHLS Research and Innovation Committee.
Presenters
Liako Mofo is a senior economist at TIPS. She holds a master’s degree in development economics from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom and has more than 16 years of experience in economic research, policy development and analysis, development of national strategic development plans, sector-specific investment plans and project cycle management in the public sector, and development in the regional and international context.
Dr Julius Mugwagwa is an Associate Professor of Health Innovation and Public Policy UCL STEaPP – Science Technology Engineering and Public Policy, University College London (UCL). His specialties and interests are local and global health; innovation systems; funding and governance of science, technology and innovation; health system strengthening; pharmaceutical and biotech sectors; cross-national technology governance; policy analysis; and project management.
Victor van Vuuren is Director: HolaVic Consulting (Pty) Ltd consulting globally. After completing a law degree Victor started his working career at the South African Department of Justice. Thereafter he moved into the private sector as a corporate legal advisor and human resources director at executive level in large corporates. Victor later helped establish a unified South African business federation, Business Unity South Africa, and was appointed as the first Chief Operations Officer.
For more information, please contact TIPS via email at: daphney@tips.org.za
TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers,
and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.
TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic)
and the Institute of Economic Justice (IEJ) which will co-host the seminar.
Engineering News - 6 October 2023 2023 by Irma Venter
Windaba: SAREM has so much more potential than other masterplans
ESI Africa - 6 October 2023 by Nasi Hako
Read online at ESI Africa
It is no time to be cutting the Covid-19 safety net
Business Day - 3 October 2023 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)
Engineering News - 2 October 2023 by Tasneed Bulbulia
SA to push for AfCFTA to be central to Agoa
Business Times (Sunday Times) - 1 October 2023 by Khulekani Magubane
SA bucks the trend of staying abreast of landmark US law
Business Day - 23 September by Gray Maguire
Building a local battery industry
Presentations
Lesego Moshikaro-Amani (TIPS) - Paving the path for a local battery industry in South Africa
Kgashane Mohale (IDC) - Battery value chain - IDC segmental approach (Slide)
Media
Media article: Battery industry set to boom - Business Times (Sunday Times) 22 October 2023
Media article: SMMEs can enter the battery energy value chain - Vutivi Business News 19 October 2023
Media article: Opportunities, challenges for South Africa in LIB, VRFB industries - Engineering News 18 October 2023
Research
Report: Opportunities to develop the lithium-ion battery (LIB) battery value chain in South Africa (2021) - Gaylor Montmasson Clair, Lesego Moshikaro and Lerato Monaisa (TIPS)
Policy Brief : Opportunities to develop the lithium-ion battery value chain in South Africa (2021) - Gaylor Montmasson Clair, Lesego Moshikaro and Lerato Monaisa (TIPS)
Report: Localising vanadium battery production for South Africa's energy security (2023) - Lesego Moshikaro and Lebogang Pheto (TIPS)
Policy Brief: A review of vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) market demand and costs - Lesego Moshikaro (TIPS)
Background
The demand for battery energy storage systems (BESS) is on the rise in various sectors, including stationary applications and transportation. BESS plays a critical role in advancing the transition towards decarbonisation. In addition, battery storage systems are pivotal in seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources into the energy landscape. The increasing demand for batteries and their constituent minerals stems from the global push to decarbonise the automotive industry and ensure a reliable energy supply through renewables coupled with energy storage.
South Africa's large production and reserves of battery materials make it well-positioned to actively participate in the battery value chain. Developing a local battery value chain presents numerous economic opportunities for South Africa. There is a notable trend where batteries are predominantly consumed in the regions where they are manufactured. This is evident in the automotive industry and in countries' strategic investments in battery value chains to ensure their energy supply security. South Africa has the minerals and a market for batteries, but it's essential to stress the need for support in advancing both market development and the growth of industrial capacity for battery production.
Given this, the question arises: how can the country effectively engage in this value chain and contribute value to upstream activities within the value chain? TIPS research delves into this issue, focusing on the beneficiation processes these minerals can undergo to support the growth of battery industries, emphasising local capabilities throughout the value chain and offering recommendations on areas in which the country can competitively engage. The report also explores ways in which industrial policy can play a more substantial role in supporting emerging and high-tech industries, and how South Africa can establish a thriving local battery industry, underscoring the significance of sustaining demand.
About the Speakers
Moderator
Gaylor Montmasson-Clair is a Senior Economist at Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). He leads TIPS's work on sustainability and just transition. He is the Facilitator for the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), the industrialisation plan for South Africa’s renewable energy value chain.
Presenters
Lesego Moshikaro-Amani is Senior Economist at TIPS. Her expertise lies in industrial policy, battery energy storage value chains and the emerging sector of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in South Africa, including a strong emphasis on skill development within the NEV industry. Other areas of focus include skills development for industry and promoting employment.
Mikhail Nikomarov is an entrepreneur and African energy leader committed to resolving the continent’s electricity shortage. He co-founded Bushveld Energy to provide large-scale energy storage solutions across the African continent. The company develops energy storage projects and is also localising manufacturing of vanadium redox flow batteries in South Africa. Mikhail also serves as the Chairman of the South African Energy Storage Association (SAESA) and chairs the Energy Storage Committee for Vanitec, the global organisation of vanadium producers.
Kgashane Mohale is Senior Industry Specialist: Industrial Development leading in Innovation and Strategy at the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Ltd (IDC). He has experience in leadership, strategy design and execution, manufacturing and production management, business improvement, consulting, entrepreneurship, business development, commercial and engineering from various organisations. He currently develops strategies and investment products for IDC to develop and invest in new or priority sectors/value chains like the battery value chain – from mining through chemical and components, cell manufacturing and application and renewable energy localisation, focusing on wind and solar.
Ian de Vries is both CEO and CTO at Balancell, a technology startup. He leads on technology, hardware and software development, battery electromechanical integration, cell manufacturer selection, battery design, overall IoT software system architecture, including data flow, data structures, and battery data analysis. He has expertise in cell chemistry, battery management algorithms, product design to meet the highest safety standards and insights into the next generation needed for IoT software platform system architecture, data structures, and predictive algorithms.
For more information, please contact TIPS via email at: natasha@tips.org.za
TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners
to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.
TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).