Ethiopia unveils $20mln renewable energy project

Addis Ababa, October 11, 2022 (FBC) – Ministry of Water and Energy – Ethiopia announced a 20 million USD renewable energy project set to be implemented in Ethiopia.

Global Energy Alliance in Ethiopia for People and Planet launched the first of its kind, an accessible renewable energy for agriculture project.

At the launching of the project, Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itefa, said that access to electricity is important for social and economic development and to prevent climate change.

In particular, he explained the benefits of health, education, drinking water supply, making cities energy users and expanding industry.

The Minister said that more than half of the citizens in the country do not have access to electricity.

He said that a national electrification program has been designed and implemented to address this problem and that efforts are being made to provide electricity nationwide by 2030.

Accessible Renewable Energy for Agriculture Project will reportedly be implemented in four locations in the Oromia region, three locations in the Amhara region, and one location in the Sidama and Southern regions.

The project will provide electricity, clean water and street lights to over 15,000 people.

Also, 1,500 hectares of land can be irrigated by replacing diesel pumps with electric pumps.

The pilot project will be launched with the 20.5 million USD that the organization received from the African Development Bank, the Ministry told Fana Broadcasting Corporate.