Found around Ayat roundabouts in the capital, Addis Ababa, a six-storey building of Lydetco Solar Energy headquarter fully uses solar energy for power consumption of the whole building. One storey residential and the other five stories used for office purposes, the building fully gains its power using solar energy.
“The building has an elevator providing services functional for 24 hours. The households in the residential storey also use energy for cooking and other purposes. In addition, all offices including Lydetco’s main office are fully providing services with different equipment using power. Thanks to the solar system installed at the top of the storey, without connecting to the main grid and without using generators, the building uses its full power consumption from solar energy,” Yemeserach Zena, Lydetco Solar Energy’s Marketing Director told The Ethiopian Herald.
Lydetco and other private and governmental organizations engaged in water and energy sectors are participating at the National Water and Energy Exhibition organized by Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Water and Technology. The national exhibition is organized at the Science Museum in Addis Ababa with the motto “water for prosperity” aims at promoting the activities, new technologies, research outcomes and innovations in the water and energy sectors in Ethiopia.
Exhibiting different solar products like photo voltaic, solar thermal, solar cooker and other solar products at the exhibition, Lydetco solar energy company Marketing Director; Yemeserach Zena said that the local company has engaged in solar technology for the last 25 years in Ethiopia. As to her, focusing on distributing solar products to the rural parts of Ethiopia, the company contributes its share for the development of off-grid energy in Ethiopia and in easing life for the rural community.
In addition to distributing solar products for the rural parts of Ethiopia, the company uses solar energy for its own building in Addis Ababa. Lydetco builds a six storey building in Addis Ababa for its headquarters, which includes a residential storey and for office purpose including Lydetco’s head-office. By installing a solar technology on the top of the building, the power consumption within the building comes from solar energy, which makes the building the first off-grid building in Addis Ababa. “In addition to the residential houses and Lydetco’s office, other stories are also fully rented and all offices use power supplied from solar energy for their energy consumption,” Yemesrach reiterated.
According to Yemesrach, as the building has its own power source for all energy uses, the building’s energy access is fully operating 24 hours. The building uses 108 solar panels planted at the top floor of the building. As to her, the energy produced surpasses the energy demand of the building. “Lydetco started producing its own energy from solar source for the whole building in the capital and we are working to scale up or expand the experience to other companies so as to solve the power scarcity. Different companies are showing interests to implement it,” she added.
For Yemesrach, solar technology is solving power scarcity especially for the scattered rural villages in Ethiopia. It helps to achieve universal access to energy by providing energy to the community found far to the grid energy source. In this regard, Lydetco is distributing easily accessible solar energy products that are affordable for the rural community. “Today beyond for household energy consumption, the rural population is using solar energy to generate income,” she noted, in this regard mobile water pumps operating with solar energy for irrigation are best examples. In addition, schools, health centers and other governmental institutions in the rural community are using solar energy to provide services.
In addition to these solar energy products, Lydetco currently introduces Jember Sun Oven, an oven operating using solar energy for cooking, boiling water and baking bread purposes. Jember Sun Oven, according to Yemesrach, is assembled locally by Lydetco. “Jember Sun Oven is a product used for cooking purposes using solar energy fully, without using wood, fuel or charcoal. The product is mobile and can be helpful for the rural community as it saves energy, time, deforestation,” she added.
As to her, the product is in the market currently and already on use. The company received patent right from Ministry of Water and Energy for the product after full test, she added. Lydetco already started assembling Jmber Sun Oven product and in the near future, the company plans to start assembling solar products at home and to develop its capacity to produce these products in the long run.
At the exhibition, I found also Yohannes Kasaye who is Sales Manager at Acme Engineering and Trading, exhibiting solar products of the company. For Yohannes, the company engages in water, agriculture, and irrigation equipment provision. Most of them are operating using solar energy for the last 20 years. At the exhibition, he is exhibiting products like salon pack, which
are barber products and public addressing montarbo speakers operating using solar energy. For Yohannes, solar energy is solving the rural community’s power demand questions and beyond for lighting purposes, solar energy is becoming source of income for the rural population.
“For example, using solar energy, youths can open barber shops in rural areas and provide services and generate income. The products we are presenting here in the exhibition like the products for barber service operating using solar energy are already in the market. By using these rechargeable products using the sun energy, without the need to connect with the national grid, youths can open barber shops in the rural areas and generate income,” he stated. In addition, water pumps for irrigation purpose, mobile-charging stations and other income-generating solar products are already in the market.
Energy Sector State Minister at Ministry of Water and Energy, Engineer Sultan Weli (PhD) told local media that mobile water pumps operating with solar system are playing vital role in the agriculture sector by developing irrigation system. By using solar energy, farmers are operating generators for irrigation as fuel is becoming expensive. Expanding the development of solar system to expand irrigation would help to realize the efforts of fulfilling food security at home.
The state minister stated that as the price of fuel is mounting, it is not viable to use fuel water pumps for irrigation. Solar water pumps are cost effective. Today, mobile water pumps operating using solar energy are applicable in the irrigation sector; he said adding these products are becoming applicable in Ethiopia.
At the exhibition, Meseret Marie Solar Products Importer and other companies are presenting solar water pumps assembled locally in addition to the imported products.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Minister for Ministry of Water and Energy, Engineer Habtamu Itefa (PhD) said that by using technologies and innovations, it is important to exploit the untapped potential in the energy and water sectors that Ethiopia have. By introducing technological products in the sector, by properly managing the water resources and by investing in the renewable energy sources, Ethiopia can achieve prosperity.
Eng. Habtamu stated that the exhibition aims to display Ethiopia’s efforts and activities in developing water resource, sanitation, energy, meteorology and technologies in water and energy sectors.
The exhibition will stay open for one month for the public and everyone is invited to visit the expo, where different technological products, innovations and companies’ activities engaged in the energy and water sectors are displayed in one place.
BYDARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 25 AUGUST 2023
