Does Ethiopia have energy access?

Ethiopia’s current electricity access is only 44% where grid connections provide 33% of connectivity and off-grid solutions provide 11%. This chapter aims to explore the country’s renewable energy potential and how adding the primary energy source can help achieve sustainable development and bridge the issue of energy access.

What are Ethiopia's strategic priorities in the energy sector?

In light of this, the Government of Ethiopia's strategic priorities in the energy sector are: universal electrification access, energy efficiency improvement, decentralized off-grid power generation through the development of renewable energy technologies, and exporting electricity to neighboring countries.

Does Ethiopia need a low-cost energy supply system?

The selection of least-cost technologies to supply energy is crucial for Ethiopia to meet the projected energy demand (specifically electricity) if the country is to achieve universal electricity access.

What challenges does the Ethiopian energy sector face?

The Ethiopian energy sector faces the dual challenges of limited access to modern energy and heavy reliance on traditional biomass energy sources to meet growing demand. While Ethiopia has seen dramatic economic growth in recent years, sustaining this growth into the future will require dramatic expansion of energy supply.

Should Ethiopia diversify its primary energy supply?

Study also showed that the intended hydropower plant alone cannot fully meet the energy demand and control the climate change in Ethiopia (van Zwaan et al. 2018). This is yet another justification for the need to diversify the country’s primary energy supply.

Can energy transition support the SDGs in Ethiopia?

Ethiopia is endowed with a variety of renewable energy resources. This enormous potential however remains largely unexploited. Energy poverty, inefficiency, and insecurity are still major challenges. Energy transition could support almost all SDGs in the country.