Amid clockwise challenges, Ethiopia continues to mesmerize the world in its performance on the energy sector. There are mega projects nearing completion that are believed to put the country among middle income securing nations.
Nonetheless, some elements that claim hegemony of utilizing water have been tempting Ethiopia’s sovereign right over natural resources and poking nose on unilateral projects.
Besides, they also launch proxy war. The recent terrorist’s deed targeting infrastructure that includes electrification of the country was an ill wind. These days, beyond fatalities, there have also been substantial damages on electricity and other infrastructure in the war-torn north. However, the Ethiopian Electric Power along with relevant actors is making a smart move to rehabilitate damaged areas according to reports.
According to the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), the terrorists TPLF and ‘Shene’ caused over one billion Birr worth damage on electricity infrastructure only within the past months and targeted grand damages on infrastructures.
Moreover, the terrorist groups have also damaged electricity properties in the Amhara and Afar states. Most parts of the North Wollo, South Wollo, and North Shewa zones of the Amhara State have been out of power for more than a month.
However, the EEP undertakes swift power restoration in the above areas. Currently, electricity has been restored in Shewa Robit, Kemissie, Kombolcha, Dessie, Bati, Alem Ketema, among others.
Accordingly, EEP is always ready to rehabilitate the electric transmission lines as soon as peace is restored in the conflict areas.
From the beginning, the terrorist group’s remnant damaged electric sub-stations, conductors, towers, insulators and other EEP properties since November, 2020 that caused 70 million Birr damages on infrastructure only. In addition, the total damage amount exceeds billions on telecom, electricity, road, airports, water supply, among other infrastructures. The damaged infrastructures expose the country to a severe socio-economic crisis.
Thus, exploring affordable and swift energy supply options is fundamental to ease the socio-economic challenges of the community in the restive areas.
According to the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPC), Ethiopia is endowed with renewable energy sources. Along with untapped potential of hydropower there is also wind, geothermal, solar as well as biomass energy options.
However, a small portion of the potential is harnessed today. The country’s hydropower potential is estimated up to 45,000 MW and is the second highest in Africa.
Situated in the tropics, Ethiopia receives a solar radiation of daily 5,000 – 7,000 Wh/m² depending on its regions and seasons and thus, it has great potential for the use of solar energy. It also has good wind resources with velocities ranging from 7 to 9 m/s. Its wind energy potential is estimated to be 10,000 MW.
Currently, the government has given due priority for renewable energy investment considering the untapped renewable energy potentials. There are numerous renewable energy projects undertaking nationwide.
Several hydropower, wind, and solar projects are generating power while others are nearing completion with great public mobilization and enthusiasm like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Recently, the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPC) announced that more than 3,898 GWH of power has been generated from the operational power projects in the first quarter of the budget year.
EEPC Power Generations Executive Director Eyayehu Hundessa said that the corporation has generated the indicated amount targeting to generate 4,783 GWH of electricity by the first quarter of the budget year.
Of the total power generated during the budget year, 3,778.5 GWH is generated from water, 108.4 GWH is generated from wind and the remaining 10.7 GWH is generated from solid waste, he added.
So far, the corporation has achieved 81.5 percent of its plan to be done by the first quarter of the budget year. Out of the 21 power stations currently in operation, Tis Abay II, Koka, Gibe III, Awash 2nd and 3rd as well as Adama 2 have generated more power than the planned, according to him.
In contrast, Amertineshe, Melka Wakana, Gibe I and II, Fincha hydroelectric power stations, Adama one wind farm, and Repi are power plants that fail to hit the target.
Power stations such as Koka, Awash II and III will contribute for the increasing demand if they are maintained. The stations have been undertaking annual maintenance and precautionary maintenance, which has been cited as a reason for not generating power as planned.
According to him, there is remarkable progression to enable the stations generate power as planned. The water management of the dams was better during the quarter year performance. However, the number of electricity customers is decreased during the quarter budget due to the war underway in the northern part of the country.
Accordingly, there is an ambition to generate 19,875.9 GW hours of electricity in the 2021/22 budget year.
Ethiopia has to exploit its power resource investing notably on the blue economy and other spatial and earthly wealth and thereby emancipate the rural community from darkness. On the other hand, investing on renewable energy option that is environmentally friendly and essential for resilient economy for the reason it can reduce fuel consumption, carbon mono oxide emission and promote environment protection.
In Ethiopia, there are bright hopes ahead that advance the country if it effectively utilizes the energy sector. However, there are also challenges waged by some elements that destroy expensive facilities and properties of the country. For instance, the terrorist TPLF has posed substantial devastation on the county’s transition line.
Hence, instead of shattering hope, it is recommended to work in solidarity to avert scenarios and foresee further options of power scaling up best practices of countries that have gone distant on the energy sector and scored glittering result.
In this regard, Germany can be taken as a good model. During his zoom video discussion with Ethiopian journalists German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Director General for Energy Policy – Heat and Energy Efficiency Thorsten Herdan said that Germany has been doing its level best in sharing renewable energy expansion experiences and technology transfer to Ethiopia.
Renewable energy is real engine towards realizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and different countries are attracted in the sector’s investment. Thus, availing conducive environment to the green energy innovators and investors is important to harness the available renewable energy potentials, he recommended.
According to him, supporting Ethiopia to exploit its available potential sources of energy helps the country to generate additional energy in the country where tens of millions of people are still living without electrification especially in the rural areas of the country. “Germany is voluntary and committed to continue supporting Ethiopia’s energy development with different modalities,” he added.
“Ethiopia’s efforts in developing clean energy sector are absolutely impressive,” Herdan said adding supporting Ethiopia’s ambitious efforts in the sector would facilitate the country’s journey to development and able to exploit its available development potentials and to diversify its business models. Ethiopia’s practical investments in the sector are on the right way to develop green energy in the country and supporting such practical investments would help the country’s struggle to end poverty.
So far, Germany is working closely with Ethiopia in different development sectors, Herdan said adding to strengthen the cooperation of the two countries in the energy sector, and the Ethio-Germany Energy Cooperation was established mainly to focus on the energy sector cooperation of the two countries. Germany is committed to work closely with Ethiopia in experience sharing of its energy sector development, capacity building, supporting locally innovative ideas, technology transfer and financial funds for specific investments.
Accordingly, Germany has been called “the world’s first major renewable energy economy”. The share of renewable electricity rose from just 3.4 percent of gross electricity consumption in 1990 to exceed 10 percent by 2005, and reaching 42.1 percent of consumption in 2019. In 2020, Germany’s gross electricity generation from renewable sources peaked at 251 terawatt-hours bringing it closer to becoming a major contributor to the European Union’s efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Although wind power is the primary source of renewable energy in Germany, offshore wind farms only recently contributed to this energy sector. On the other hand, hydropower contributes the least to the energy generation sector in Germany. With the expansion of the wind energy sector, employment has also increased, leading to nearly 121,000 employees as of 2020.
In sum, the energy cooperation agreement between the two countries sought to motivate more green energy technologies expansion and employment opportunities to the growing number of youth population in Ethiopia.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 22/2021
