ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia should scale up priority for renewable energy development to overcome energy access gaps, said organizers and participants of RES 4 Africa annual conference here in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia has humble resource to work on renewable energy like solar, geothermal, wind onshore and bioenergy. Therefore we are warmly happy to work cooperatively with private foundations and associations said Dr. Seleshi Bekele, Minister for Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy. He also said that renewable energy is essential for to pave the way to achieve the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Antonio Cammisecra, President for Renewable Energy Solution for Africa Foundation and CEO of Enel Green Power on his part said that Ethiopia should become a leader for other African countries in electric supply. For him lack of projects and commitment are the common problem for Africa to become backward on energy utilization.
Both Sileshi and Cammisecra said that, implementing of renewable energy in Ethiopia will make the country to be large energy exporter attract local and international companies to the country. And it is also helpful for the development of the country coupled with overcoming problems of farmers and pastoralists.
Cammisecra also appreciated government’s commitment and readiness to open its door for private investors in the sector. Perhaps all African countries including Ethiopia need to make sharing of experience. Investing on renewable energy like geothermal by the government helps Ethiopia to provide cheaper, safer, easier and sustainable electric power for its societies, he added.
RES 4 Africa 7th annual conference was held in Ethiopia, Africa for the first time this week at Sheraton Hotel as side event of the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy. Representative of more than 100 private, government and international organizations attended the conference.
“Ethiopia is also able to generate 4300 MW from 14 water dams, 3 wind farms, many small diesel generators, one geothermal and one waste to energy-based power plants,” Sileshi said.
The Ethiopian Herald June 22/2019
BY HIZKEL HAILU
