Energising Development Ethiopia

Project description

Title: Energising Development Ethiopia
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Co-funded by: European Union (EU)
Country: Ethiopia
Lead executing agency: Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy
Overall term: 2010 to 2022

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Context

Ethiopia is endowed with plenty of potential sources for generating renewable energy. Nevertheless, it is one of the lowest energy consuming countries in the world. In 2017, only 44 percent of its 100 million inhabitants had access to electricity. For the approximately 80 million people living in rural areas, this figure is only 31 percent. The lack of electricity seriously limits the country’s potential for socio-economic development. Few affordable alternatives to traditional energy sources exist, and most people rely on kerosene or firewood for fuel, which carries along alternate consequences. One of them is deforestation, which results in soil erosion. The smoke leads to health issues, such as serious respiratory tract diseases. Ethiopia will only be able to improve this situation by expanding the use of its abundant environmentally friendly renewable energy sources.

Objective

The Programme Energising Development Ethiopia (EnDev) Ethiopia supports a sustainable supply of energy services to lower-income households, social facilities and small to medium sized enterprises with a focus on rural areas.

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Approach

EnDev is a multi-donor and multi-implementer energy access partnership. It is currently financed by six donor countries – the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden. Being part of the global programme, EnDev Ethiopia receives additional co-funding from Ireland, the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare and the European Union.

The programme has entered in to its third phase which is running from 2019 to 2022. The project activities in Ethiopia contribute to improved energy access for off-grid households, social institutions and small and medium sized enterprises. The focus is on three different types of technologies: energy efficient cookstoves; photovoltaic systems; and the development of independent power supply systems (mini-grids) for remote communities. Through this, public service delivery for the rural population are qualitatively and quantitatively improved and local private entrepreneurship is strengthened. EnDev Ethiopia is currently being implemented mainly in four regions of Ethiopia: Oromia, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR), Tigray and Amhara.

EnDev focuses on the development of both the supply and demand side of local and national markets for the dissemination of efficient renewable energy solutions for households, social institutions and small to medium enterprises. The project operates on policy and sector advisory at the national level and technical advisory for governments. Activities also focus on private sector associations at the regional level and capacity development for public and private sector actors as well as vocational training institutions on the local level.

Results

  • Photovoltaic solar systems have been installed in more than 300 off-grid public social institutions, such as health centres and community centres, providing access to electricity with a total installed capacity greater than 344 kilowatt peak (kWp).
  • More than 13,800 solar home systems - lighting several lamps, charging mobile phones - and more than 436,000 solar lanterns have been sold by retailers trained by EnDev Ethiopia, providing light to more than 566,000 people.
  • More than 800 small-scale energy-efficient cookstove producers established their businesses in 330 districts in seven regions. They have sold more than 1,194,000 improved cookstoves since 2006, mostly for baking and cooking. About 1,388,456 people benefit from energy-efficient cookstoves sold under the programme. These stoves have saved almost 400,000 tonnes of CO2 and more than 370,000 tonnes of fuelwood per year.
  • About 2,000,000 people currently benefit from access to modern energy services through the support of EnDev Ethiopia. 
  • In five villages of southern Ethiopia and Oromia, five pilot micro-hydropower plants have been constructed.

European Union Support to EnDev Ethiopia 

Since 2017, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Ethiopia provides additional support to EnDev Ethiopia. The support is to develop the market for modern renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions. With the extra resources from the EU and EnDev core donors, it will be possible to serve around 500,000 people until 2020. With direct support from EU, 100 rural off-grid social institutions will receive solar power technology, 100,000 solar lanterns and 1,300 solar home systems will be commercially disseminated. In addition, 100 production sites with enhanced manufacturing of improved cookstoves will be established and supported by promotional activities, 240,000 improved cookstoves will be commercially disseminated, 1,100 will be provided to social institutions and 2,000 will be sold to businesses.