According to the report of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa is endowed with huge and yet diversified renewable energy resources – about 350 GW hydropower, 10 TW Solar, 110 GW wind, 20 GW Geothermal, and Biomass.
In many cases, renewable energy is the optimal solution for modern energy access. Africa faces an enormous energy challenge due to significant growth in population and sustained period of economic growth and transformation, UNEP report shows.
The geothermal potential of Ethiopia has been estimated to be more than 10,000 MW.
Last week, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) in collaboration with Tulu Moye Geothermal Operation, USAID, and Power Africa organized the first international symposium on geothermal energy in Ethiopia which held in Addis Ababa. The symposium had brought together Ethiopian government ministries and energy-related institutions, universities, geothermal private companies, and well-known professionals from Africa, Europe, and the USA.
During the symposium, Program Manager, Energy, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Meseret Teklemariam said that a larger number of areas have potential for medium to low temperature resources throughout the Ethiopian Rift System. “Over 23 high temperature geothermal potential areas identified and only two geothermal projects are drilled.”
According to her, 600 mln. people in Africa still do not have electricity and 730 mln. people rely on traditional biomass (Wood fuel and charcoal).
About 600,000 people in Africa die each year as a result of household air pollution and 60 percent of these victims are women, she said.
She reported that there are banks supporting geothermal projects in East Africa such as: African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, China Exim Bank, International Finance Corporation, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, World Bank, and others.
“And also, there are many regional geothermal support programmes in east Africa,” she said.
According to her, challenges in renewable energy development in Africa are manifolds. Few of them could be lack of clear and coherent policy, regulatory and institutional framework; inadequate finance and investment; inadequate information and technical capacity; limited technology transfer and skills; lack of well-organized renewable energy resource data; lack of adequate national power development master plan; and deploying large-scale renewable energy projects in networks with poor transmission and distribution infrastructure.
President of AASTU, Dr. Dereje Engida, briefed journalists that still now Ethiopia does not produce energy from geothermal source but now works are ongoing to benefit the country from geothermal energy.
Our neighboring country Kenya produces nearly 850MW energy from geothermal, he said, adding that Ethiopia have to work more and more.
According to him, Electrification Policy was already endorsed and public private partnership is supported by this policy.
He stressed that this sector demands a high supply of finance and the finance could be hard to be covered by the government alone. Thus, the participation of the private sector would play a decisive role.
“We have enabling policy. And a Public Private Partnership can close gaps seen in terms of finance and skills.”
Yiheyis Eshetu, Director of Alternative Energy Technology Development and Promotion Directorate at the Ministry of Water Irrigation and Energy reported that there are seven planned geothermal projects, including those that will be finalized by 2030 – Korbeti, Tulu Moye, Shashemene, Dofan, Boku, Dugna Fango, and Fentale.
He stressed that next to hydropower; geothermal shall be the dominant resource for electricity generation in the future.
According to him, sustainable government commitment, proper institutional setup and capacity buildings are the major cornerstones for successful development of geothermal energy of the country.
The private sector is expected to play a key role in the energy sector development, he said, adding that energy leaders and development partners should strongly perform in the area of energy security and energy equity to build sustainable energy system in Ethiopia.
Dr. Meseret told journalists that African countries including Ethiopia have different renewable energy sources – water, solar, wind, and geothermal. “We have to use these energy sources for sustainable development.
“We have to make youths more productive by training them by creating university-industry linkage,” she said.
She stressed that sustainable development is impossible without sustainable energy source. And also, fulfilling energy demand by using water energy only is unthinkable.
On his part, Solomon Kebede, Director of Geothermal Resources Exploration and Assessment Directorate at Geological Survey of Ethiopia said that the main challenges of geothermal development in Ethiopia are lack of investment, institutional setup, policy and laws’ implementation, capacity, awareness, and others.
He suggested that establishing better institutional setup and system of project implementation; implementing policies fully and timely; creating awareness at federal and regional levels; building local capacity in human power and technology; and coordinating individual geothermal and related professional efforts through geothermal association are the main important measures for the development of the sector.
The Ethiopian Herald October 11, 2019
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
