School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

ECEG-6441-Renewable Energy Technologies

Assignment one

By: - Anchinesh Mengistu

ID NO:- GSC/0303/04

Instructor :-
Frehiwot Woldehanna, Ph.D

Date :- May,2013
 Potential energy resource availability in Global, regional and national

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Global potential of renewable energy resources………………………………1

1.1 Overview of Renewable Energy ……………………………………………………….1

1.2 Hydropower ……………………………………………………………………………2

1.3 Wind Power…………………………………………………………………………….3
1.4 Solar Photovoltaic Power……………………………………………………………...4
1.5 Geothermal Power…………………………………………………..…………………5
1.6 Biomass Power………………………………………………………………………….6

Chapter 2: Renewable Energy Resources in AFRICA…………………………………………….7

2.1 Overview………………………………………………………………………………..7
2.2 Regional Countries energy information…………………………………….................8
2.2.1 Kenya………………………………………………………………………..8
2.2.2 Uganda……………………………………………………………………….8
2.2.3 Tanzania……………………………………………………………………..9
2.2.4 Djibouti……………………………………………………………………….9
2.2.5 Eritrea………………………………………………………………………..10
2.2.6 Somalia………………………………………………………………………10
Chapter 3: National energy information (Ethiopia)……………………………………………11
3.1 Overview……………………………………………………………………………….11

3.2RenewableEnergyResources…………………………………………………………….11

3.2.1 Solar Energy………………………………………………………………………….13

3.2.2 Hydropower…………………………………………………………………………..13
3.2.3 Wind Power……………………………………………………………………………13
3.2.4 Biomass Energy Resources……………………………………………………………13
3.2.5 Traditional Fuel and Animate Energy………………………………………………..14
3.2.6 Others Potentials………………………………………………………………………14

i.

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Chapter 1: Global potential of renewable energy resources

1.1 Overview of Renewable Energy

Global renewable energy resources offer abundant opportunities for providing clean and sustainable energy
for everyone. They are the answer to imminent fossil fuel shortages affecting electric power, heating and
transportation needs.

Looking at these maps you will discover the abundance of renewable energy resources all over the world.
Great potentials for solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, ocean and bioenergy can be found on every
continent. Deserts can provide solar energy on an enormous scale, coasts in the temperate zones offer huge
potential for wind energy, great geothermal energy resources are located along the circum-Pacific "Ring of
Fire", mountainous countries with sufficient rainfall offer high potential for hydropower, along the
coastlines ocean power (wave and tidal) can be generated and subtropical regions feature a large resource
of bioenergy.

The technical potential for the utilization of renewable energy is nearly 20 times greater than current global
energy demand. Yet, today renewable energy only provides 17% of the world's primary energy needs and
traditional renewable energy use (biomass and large hydro) make up the greater share (9% and 5.7%
respectively). New renewables such as wind and solar provide only 2% of total global primary energy
consumption. (IEA)

The efficient deployment of these renewable resources requires a removal of trade and investment barriers
between countries. The goal is the electrical interconnection of regions with abundant renewable resources
to those nations with the highest consumption

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1.7 Hydropower

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical
power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form
of renewable energy. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no direct waste, and
has a considerably lower output level of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil fuel powered
energy plants. Worldwide, an installed capacity of 1,010 GW supplied hydroelectricity in 2010. This was
approximately 16% of the world's electricity, and accounted for about 76% of electricity from renewable
sources.

The world’s total technical feasible hydro potential is estimated at 14 370 TWh/year, of which about
8082TWh/year is currently considered economically feasible for development. About 700 GW (or about
2600TWh/year) is already in operation, with a further 108 GW under construction [Hydropower & Dams,
World. Atlas and Industry Guide, 2000].
 Most of the remaining potential is in Africa, Asia and Latin America:

Technically feasible Economically feasible

potential: potential:
AFRICA 1750 TWh/year 100 TWh/year
ASIA 6800 TWh/year 3600 TWh/year
North +CENTERAL 1660 TWh/year 1000 TWh/year
AMERICA
SOUTHEAMERICA 2665 TWh/year 1600 TWh/year
Table 1 .1 remaining potential of hydropower

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 Ten of the largest hydroelectric producers at 2009

Annual Installed Capacity % of total

hydroelectric capacity (GW) factor capacity
production (TWh)
China 652.05 196.79 0.37 22.25
Canada 369.5 88.974 0.59 61.12
Brazil 363.8 69.080 0.56 85.56
United States 250.6 79.511 0.42 5.74
Russia 167.0 45.000 0.42 17.64
Norway 140.5 27.528 0.49 98.25
India 115.6 33.600 0.43 15.80
Venezuela 85.96 14.622 0.67 69.20
Japan 69.2 27.229 0.37 7.21
Sweden 65.5 16.209 0.46 44.34
Table 1.2 largest hydropower producers in 2009
1.3 Wind Power

New wind power capacity added during 2010 reached 39 GW, more than any other renewable technology
and over three times the 11.5 GW of wind added worldwide just five years earlier. (See Figure 1.) As a
result, existing capacity increased more than 24% relative to 2009, with total global capacity nearing 198
GW by year’s end. At least 52 countries increased their total existing capacity during 2010, and 83
countries now use wind power on a commercial basis. Over the period from end-2005 to end-2010, annual
growth rates of cumulative wind power capacity averaged 27%. Nevertheless, the annual global wind power
market held steady in 2010, just slightly above 2009 capacity additions, due to slower growth in the United
States and Europe brought on by policy uncertainty in key countries (e.g., the U.S. and Spain).

Figure 1.1 wind power, existing world capacity, 1996-2010

Source: GWEC, WWEA, EWEA, AWEA, MNRE, BMU, BTM Consult, IDAE, CREIA, CWEA

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Wind power did not account for the largest share of new electric capacity additions and came in third
behind natural gas and solar PV.

Figure 1.2. Wind power capacity, Top 10 countries, 2010

Source: GWEC, WWEA, EWEA, AWEA, MNRE, BMU, BTM Consult, IDAE, CREIA, CWEA

1.4 Solar Photovoltaic Power

Solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity was added in more than 100 countries during 2010, ensuring that PV
remained the world’s fastest growing power-generation technology. An estimated 17 GW of PV capacity
was added worldwide in 2010 (compared with just under 7.3 GW in 2009), bringing the global total to
about 40 GW – more than seven times the capacity in operation five years earlier. (See Figure 3.)

Total existing capacity of all PV grew 72% relative to 2009, with the average annual growth rate over the
2005 to 2010 period exceeding 49% (for grid-connected only, corresponding growth rates were 81% and
60%). For the first time since 2005, thin film’s share of the market declined, from 17% in 2009 to 13% in
2010, although sales continued to increase.

The PV market was driven by falling costs (see Industry section), new applications, strong investor interest,
and continued strong policy support, but also by accelerated tariff digressions in some countries. The EU
dominated the global PV market, accounting for 80% of the world total with about 13.2 GW newly installed
– enough to meet the electricity consumption of some 10 million European households. (See Figure 4.) For
the first time ever, Europe added more PV than wind capacity during 2010, led by Germany and Italy

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Figure 1.3. Solar PV, existing world Capacity, 1995-2010

S
ource: PV News, EPIA

Beyond Europe, the largest PV markets were Japan (nearly 1 GW), the United States (0.9 GW), and China
(0.6 GW). Other countries with utility-scale facilities by early 2011 included Bulgaria, China, Egypt, India,
Israel, Mali, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) – or a total of at least 30 countries. As
with wind power, the trend is toward increasing project size, with nine of the world’s 15 largest PV plants
completed in 2010. At the end of 2010, the world’s largest PV plant in operation was the 0.08 GW Sarnia
facility in Ontario, Canada, which
is expected to power 12,800 homes. Interest in concentrating PV (CPV) is also on the rise, with as much as
0.02 GW connected to the grid worldwide during 2010 and early 2011.

Figure 1. 4 .Solar PV capacity , Top 10 countries , 2010

Source: EPIA, BMU, IDAE, GSE, KOPIA, CREIA

1.5 Geothermal Power

Geothermal resources provide energy in the form of direct heat (see section on Heating and Cooling
Markets) and electricity. Since 2005, significant additions of electric capacity have occurred in Iceland,
Indonesia, New Zealand, the United States, nd Turkey, and global electricity production from geothermal
has increased more than 20%. By the end of 2010, total global installations came to just over 11 GW, up an

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estimated 240 MW from 2009, and geothermal plants generated about 67.2 TWh of electricity during the
year.
The three largest plants commissioned in 2010 were in New Zealand (the largest single-shaft turbine project
ever developed, at 0.1 GW), Italy (0.04 GW), and Kenya (just under 0.04 GW).The addition in Kenya
increased the plant’s
capacity to 0.1 GW, making it the largest in Africa, and brought the country’s total installations above 0.2
GW. The United States added less than 0.2 GW of utility-scale geothermal power in 2010, down slightly
compared with 2009. Turkey and Mexico also added capacity during the year.
By the beginning of 2011, geothermal power plants were operating in at least 24 countries, but the vast
majority of
global capacity was located in eight countries.

Table 1.4: BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2011

1.6 Biomass Power

Biomass is commonly used to produce power and/or heat, and some is transformed into liquid biofuel for
transportation. (See later sections on Heating and Cooling Markets, including heat from combined heat and
power plants, and on Transport Fuel Markets.) Technologies for generating electricity from biomass include
direct firing or co-firing (with coal or natural gas) of solid biomass, municipal organic wasteII, biogasIII,
and liquid biofuels. Significant increases in biomass use for power production were seen during 2010 in a
number of European countries, the United States, and in China, India, and several other developing
countries. Globally, an estimated 62 GW of biomass power capacity was in place by the end of 2010.
The United States continued to lead the world for total biomass power generation in 2010. Other significant
producers included the EU, led by Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and Brazil, China, and
Japan.
.There is increasing interest in Africa and the Middle East as well, where several countries – including
Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda – have existing biomass power capacity or plans for future
development .Construction of biogas projects (particularly landfill gas) in South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, and
Jordan, among others, has been driven in part by the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism
Summery
Global renewable electric power capacity, existing including all renewable energy types with leading
contributed countries and total renewable power capacity are shown below

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Table 1.5 Renewable Electric Capacity , at the end of 2010

Note: Small amounts, on the order of a few MW, are designated by “~ 0.”
1 Data rounded to nearest 10 GW.
2 Data for the United States, Germany, and India reflect only conventional hydropower capacity.

( Source: Sources cited in Tables R2–R3 and in the Global Market Overview section; IEA, Renewables
Information 2010 (for OECD biomass power
capacity) and Electricity Information 2010; WEC, Survey of Energy Resources 2009; submissions from
report contributors; historical databases
going back to 2005 report edition as maintained by Eric Martinot.)

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Chapter 2: Renewable Energy Resources in AFRICA

2.1 Overview
Much of Africa is well exposed to sunlight, but photovoltaic technology is generally too expensive at this
time for suitable African applications. Morocco leads with 3 MWe installed capacity, followed by Egypt
with 2 MWe and Senegal and South Africa with around 1 MWe each.
Africa's geothermal resources are concentrated in the Red Sea Valley and the Rift Valley system. Kenya is
the principal exploiter of geothermal energy in Africa with 45 MWe and some direct heat use. Ethiopia is
the only other African country producing electricity from geothermal heat at this time. Algeria and Tunisia
both obtain some direct heat from geothermal sources.
Wind potential in much of Africa is largely unassessed at this time. Egypt is the most advanced country in
harnessing wind energy, with over 15 MWe installed capacity. There is undoubtedly much additional
potential.
Probably the most promising of the other renewable sources is biomass, if it were produced and used in
sustainable ways. As already noted biomass, including wood, is the major contributor to meeting Africa's
energy needs. However, it is used inefficiently and in ways that pollute indoor air and degrade the
surrounding environment. Various options, including higher efficiency combustion and gasification, are
being developed which would allow these fuels to be used with far greater efficiency and on a decentralised
basis.
An agricultural residue, grown by many African countries, is bagasse, by-product in the production of sugar
cane. It is estimated that there is significant potential to harness the energy yield of the approximately 26
million tonnes of bagasse produced in Africa.

2.2 Regional Countries energy information

2.2.1 Kenya
Kenya is highly dependent on hydroelectricity, which is responsible for over 75% of all electrical output.
Kenya currently does not produce crude oil, and must import all of the 57,000 bbl/d it consumes. Previous
exploration attempts for a domestic source of oil have met mostly with disappointment. Energy
consumption is dominated by wood fuel and other non-sustainable sources. In Kenya less than 0.5% of rural
households have access to grid electricity while population growth exceeds the rate of rural connections
despite major investments in the rural electrification program.

The overall potential for geothermal energy in Kenya is enormous: it has been evaluated up to 2,000 MW.
Many projects have already been defined, and their funding procedure is ongoing.
The hydropower potential of Kenya, estimated in 1991, amounts to approximately 8860 GWh/year,
representing 2107.5 MW of capacity. It is estimated that the technically feasible hydro potential is
4710GWh/year, of which 62 per cent has been developed.

The government has also identified the northern Kenyan town of Marsabit as a potential site for installation
of a wind powered electricity generation. Geothermal, Solar, Wind, Wood and Waste Electricity Installed
capacity (2003) is 0.057 million kilowatts .

2.2.2 Uganda
Uganda has the following RE technologies
- PV systems; a total capacity of 230 kWp mostly installed for large institutions and international NGO’s
- Solar Hot water systems 165 systems

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- Small hydro: total capacity 13 MW, 90% of the plants are possessed by local private company, the other
10% belongs to private companies
- Some households or small farms biogas units (20 installations)
- Cogeneration, three plants in the sugar industry

The following RE technologies are currently not implemented in Uganda

- Wind turbines
- Geothermal energy for heat and/or electricity production
- Ethanol or biodiesel for transport
Uganda wants to realize the following projects concerning new electricity power plants:
- New natural gas power plants 50 MW
- New thermal plants 200 MW
- New hydro power plants 1250 MW

Uganda has a great potential for hydro energy;

- The European Development fund identified 76 sites for mini hydro with potentials between 120 and 560
KW for the west region.
- There is plenty of sunshine all over the country; 4,5 kWh/m2 /day
- The calculated potential of geothermal energy was estimated at 450 MW
- Cogeneration in the sugar industry can increase from 10 to 20 MW
- Wind velocity information is only available on low heights, but some regions seems to be suitable for
wind energy; more information on wind speed will be gathered in a project pf the African Development
Bank and some private sectors

2.2.3 Tanzania
Petroleum, hydropower and coal are the major source of commercial energy in the country. The biomass
energy resource, which comprises fuel-wood and charcoal from both natural forest and plantations,
accounts for 93% of total energy consumption.
 There are two small hydro plants in operation in Tanzania, with a total capacity of 8.74 MW.
 Very little attempt has been made to utilize wind and solar energy. These sources of energy could
be a viable alternative source to reduce use of wood and oil for heating purposes.
 As far as geothermal power goes, at least 15 thermal areas with hot spring activity occur in
Tanzania. Ten of these occur over and near to active rift segments with quaternary volcanism; the
others lie over the Tanzanian craton and its Precambrian surrounds.
 The largest prospect is that at the Songwe River, transferring 10 MW of heat
 The small hydro potential in Tanzania is attractive. With hydroelectric power development
estimated to be 3,800 MW of which only roughly 382 MW has been exploited, Tanzania is ripe for
investment in its hydropower sector.
 Tanzania announced attractive financial terms for potential investors in developing its vast
renewable energy resources. It has simplified procedures for investing in solar, wind and micro-
hydro projects including a 100% depreciation allowance in the first year of operation, exemption
from excise duty and sales tax and concessionary customs duty on the first import of materials used
in renewable energy projects.
2.2.4 Djibouti
Djibouti is characterised by having neither fossil resources (oil and gas) nor hydroelectric potential. The
country therefore currently has a strong dependency on imported oil products - mostly imported from
nearby Saudi Arabia and Dubai – which leads to a high cost of energy.
Djibouti currently has installed electricity generating capacity of 85 megawatts (MW), all of which is
thermal (oil-fired). In January 2001, U.S.-based Geothermal Development Associates (GDA) announced
that it had completed a feasibility study on the development of a 30-MW geothermal power plant in
Djibouti. The study, which commenced in August 2000, established the commercial viability of the
proposed generating facility.

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Studies have shown that Djibouti shows good potential for renewable energy development, especially in
geothermal, solar and wind. While some feasibility projects have already been undertaken to various
degrees of advancement, no operational use of these renewable sources has been made possible to this day
and no viable short-term application has yet been assessed or presented.

2.2.5 Eritrea
Eritrea does not produce any oil, coal or natural gas, making it dependent on petroleum product imports.
The grid is supplied only by electricity from fossil fuels, though due to a lack of grid connections
residential energy use consists mainly of traditional biomass.

Eritrea has approximately 60 MW of diesel-fired generating capacity. In 1997, South Korean firms Daewoo
and Hanjung signed an agreement to build a heavy oil-fired plant in at Hirgigo, just outside of Massawa.
The plant, nearly completed, was damaged in a bombing raid by 2000.

Electricity is only available in Eritrea\'s larger cities and towns, leaving about 80% of the Eritrean
population with out access to electricity. Some smaller villages have community diesel generators which
can provide small amounts of electricity to households.

Photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation is being used in special applications throughout the country.
Twenty-six rural health centers are each supplied with 2-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic power systems
for refrigeration, lighting, operating theaters, fans, and laboratory equipment. Additionally, the majority of
the 140 rural clinics are equipped with solar powered vaccine refrigerators. Approximately 3% (about 60
villages) of Eritrea\'s villages have been supplied with PV systems (0.8 to 1.2kW) to power water pumps to
supply drinking water. Each system serves a minimum of 300 households. Over 70 rural schools (out of
700) have been provided with PV systems for lighting and power.
The most favourable location for geothermal energy in Eritrea is the Alid volcanic area, about 120 km south
of Massawa, which was identified as a potentially significant exploitable geothermal resource by the United
Nations Development Programme in 1973. Further investigations were conducted in 1996, which identified
at least 11 geothermal areas on Alid. Additional exploration is still required to prove the capacity of the
resource and the Eritrean ministry of mines is currently seeking funds for this purpose. If successful a 5
MW pilot geothermal power plant has been proposed.

The good wind regimes found in many places in Eritrea makes it possible to save at least a part of the
diesel costs by means of feeding wind electricity in the grid. Other possibilities to reduce the use of fossil
fuel for electricity generation in Eritrea are mainly the replacement of the diesel gen-sets with more
efficient conventional power generation technologies or, to a certain extent, the use of geothermal energy,
but it is reasonable to assume that wind electricity generation is the option which could be realised within
the shortest time frame and which would be, at wind favorable sites, a least-cost option.

2.2.6 Somalia
Somalia has no proven oil reserves, and only 200 billion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves. Somalia
currently has no hydrocarbon production. Exploration activity remains hindered by the internal security
situation, and the multiple sovereignty issues. Somalia\'s petroleum consumption was an estimated 4,000
bbl/d in 2001.
 Somalia currently has installed electricity generating capacity of 70 megawatts (MW), all of which
is diesel-fired, except for 4.6 MW of hydroelectric capacity at Fanole and 15 MW of thermal
capacity at Jesira.
 resources and incorporate renewable energy projects such as solar power into Somalia\'s
infrastructure
 Studies have indicated that the Horn of Africa, especially Somalia, is a prime location for
harnessing wind for electricity generation. Plans for wind generation have been proposed, but were
derailed following the ouster of the Barre regime.

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Chapter 3: National energy information

(Ethiopia)

3.1 Overview

The Physical Environment Ethiopia, a country located in the Horn of Africa, extends from 3-15 degrees
north latitude and 33-48 degrees east longitude. The country covers an area of 1.126 million square
kilometers, which is the third largest country in Africa. It is the second most populous country in Sub-
Saharan Africa with an estimated population of about 74 million [Ethiopian census, 2007], which is mostly
distributed in northern, central and southwestern highlands. Over 83 percent of the country’s population is
still classified as rural [Ethiopian census, 2007]. The economy of the country is predominantly agricultural.
This sector accounts for approximately 47.9% of the total GDP, while the service and the industrial sector
accounts for 49.4% and 12.7% respectively [MoFAED, 2008].
Ethiopia is a federal country composed of nine regional states. The country has a bicameral parliamentary
system, and government headed by a prime minister. Addis Ababa is the capital of the country, and is the
seat of many international and regional organizations, like the African Union, and the UN ECA (Economic
Commission for Africa)
The country follows an agriculture-led industrialization strategy, and is achieving encouraging results. The
economy has been growing at a rate of more than 10% for the last six years consecutively, and large number
of development projects is underway [MoFAED, 2008].
The National energy policy of the country emphasizes the need for equitable growth of the energy sector in
parallel with other social and economic developments. Specific policy lines include the attainment of self-
sufficiency through the development of indigenous resources with minimum environmental impact and
equitable distribution of electricity in all regions. The policy envisages the development of hydro,
geothermal, natural gas, coal, wind and solar energy resources based on their techno-economic viability,
social and environmental acceptability.

The country is well endowed with hydro power potential. According to the current estimates this potential
goes beyond 45,000 MW [EEPCo’s Master Plan, 2006]. The power sector by large is operated by the
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO). The predecessor of which was Ethiopian Electric light and
power Authority (EELPA), which was established in 1956 as a statutory agency wholly owned by the
Ethiopian Government. In 1997 it was converted to a Corporation under the Public Enterprise Act of 1992.
EEPCO is responsible for the generation, transmission, distribution and sales of electricity nationwide.
EEPCO currently provides electricity to a total of 1,400,923 customers in 2414 towns and 2264 village
towns in Ethiopia. According to current estimates only about 22.35 % of the population has access to
electricity and the annual per capita electricity consumption is 42.3 KWh- [EEPCo’s website, 2009].

3.2 Renewable Energy Resources

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, biomass, tides,
and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).
It has already been pointed out that the development of modern renewable energy, other than hydroelectric
power, is so far insignificant. We have a lot of streams that are flowing all the year round and could be
harnessed for small hydroelectric power generation; we also are graced with "thirteen months" of sunshine;
we have the largest cattle population in Africa, whose enormous dung could be used for biogas production.
And yet, because of very low development work in this area, the rural areas of the country still live in
darkness, just like the old days. If all the waste and trash gathered from each household in urban areas were
appropriately utilized, it could have proved another source of energy instead of being a source of
environmental pollution.

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However, since the last two years, there is an extensive and promising program initiated and being
undertaken by the World Bank and the Ethiopian Rural Energy Promotion and Development Center. Based
on the Program, an institution named Rural Electrification Fund has already been established. The activities
of the Fund are geared toward providing loans and professional support to rural electric power developers,
investors and cooperatives. If the project is successfully implemented, numerous hydroelectric, solar and
wind power plants can be constructed in many rural communities within the next ten years. If things turn
out to be to the contrary, however, we will not be moving anywhere.
Estimated Numbers of Renewable Technology Disseminated in Ethiopia (2001)
Table 3.1: Existing Renewable energy power plants in Ethiopia

Type of Power Plant No. installed Plants Total Installed Capacity

Small hydroelectric plants 3-10 5.35 MW

Photovoltaic (Telecom sector) <1000 1.8 MW

Solar cookers <1000 -

Solar water heaters <1000 -

Windmills for water pumping <500 0.3 MW

Wind generators None None

Biogas digesters <1000 ~0.185 MW

Sources: ESMAP, 1996; AFREPREN, 2001; Prof. Wolde-Ghiorgis, 2001

The total exploitable renewable energy that can be derived annually from primary solar radiation, wind,
forest biomass, hydropower, animal waste, crop residue and human waste is about 3.12 x103 TWh per year
(EEA, 2002). Out of this, the share of primary solar radiation is about 73.08 percent, while the share of
biomass resources is about 12.8 percent (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: An Overview of Renewable Energy Resources in Ethiopia
No
Energy Resources Energy in 1000 TWh per year
Potential % share Exploitable %share

1 solar 2272 99.7 2.30 73.08

2 Wind 5.6 0.24 0.28 8.94

3 Forest Biomass 0.93 0.005 0.28 8.97
4 Hydropower 0.64 0.03 0.16 5.16
5 Animal Waste 0.13 0.01 0.039 1.26
6 Crop Residue 0.095 0.0004 0.047 1.52
7 Human waste 0.033 0.00014 0.033 1.05
Total 2279.36 100.00 3.12 100
[Source: CESEN and calculation by EEA (2002)]
The most important energy resources available in the country are presented here under.

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3.2.1 Solar Energy

Studies indicate that for Ethiopia as a whole, the yearly average daily radiation reaching the ground is 5.26
KWh/m2. This varies significantly during the year, ranging from a minimum of 4.55 KWh/m2 in July to a
maximum of 5.55 KWh/m2 in February and March. On regional basis, the yearly average radiation ranges
from values as low as 4.25 KWh/m2 in the areas of Itang in the Gambella regional state (western Ethiopia),
to values as high as 6.25 KWh/m2 around Adigrat in the Tigray regional state (northern Ethiopia). [AAU,
EEA, EEPCO, 2002]

3.2.2 Hydropower
Ethiopia is often described as the water tower of northeastern Africa. It was estimated that the country has a
hydropower potential of 45,000 MW (installable potential) (Förch, 1989). Not more than 750 MW has been
utilized so far thus leaving more than 98% of the potential unused. Almost all of the power stations
operating at present are big plants and meant to feed the national grid. The development of mini- and micro
hydro, which is more suited to rural electrification, is not practiced yet. At present, there are only about ten
small-scale hydroelectric plants (~5.35MW capacity) in the entire country. The average annual potential
(exploitable with small slope plants without reservoir) is estimated to be about 20 TWh/year. The electric
energy generated from small slope plants, being smaller in capacity and geographically dispersed, is of
great importance for rural electrification (see Annex-I for detail information).

3.2.3 Wind Power

One purpose of the investigation is to provide a survey of the present status of Ethiopia energy requirement,
viability of alternative energy generation projects, and future potential of wind energy that might be used to
help and meet future needs and demands of Ethiopian community.

It is also emphasized, that wind is a clean, replenish able source of energy, though it is intermittent and
relatively dilute in nature as compared to fossil fuels, it constitutes a large, particularly untapped energy
resource. It has been also tried to show that, there are many possible ways of extracting useful energy from
the wind. For instance, the mechanical power derived from such small scale wind turbines, which might
vary in size from two meters to twelve meters in diameter, can be used to drive electrical generators, water
pumps or air compressors, or perform other useful work.

The largest anticipated wind powered units of current world design could be large enough, but the type
selected for Ethiopia rural development could be small, locally assembled units, low cost standards.
Ethiopia has exploitable reserve of 10,000 MW wind energy with an average speed of 3.5 – 5.5m/s, 6
hours/day [SWERA, 2007]. Small towns, villages, farms and other scattered loads in remote areas provide
ideal situation in which electricity generation from wind is convenient compared to conventional diesel
generation or grid connection. The available information identifies two basic zones with homogenous
periodicity separated by the rift valley. In the first of these, covering most of the highland plateaus, there are
two well-defined wind speed maximal occurring, respectively, between March and May and between
September and November, according to location (EEA, 2002). In the second zone, covering most of the
Ogaden and the eastern lowlands, average wind velocity reaches maximum values between May and
August.
At this time the governmental electricity provider, EEPCO decides and establishes its operation to generate
around 120 MW wind power plants, which interconnect to the grid from Ashegoda in the Tigray region
(which is already started to mobilize in year 2009) and Nazrate located around the rift valley with an
installed capacity of 51 MW, which will be implemented in the near future too [EEPCo, 2009].

3.2.4 Biomass Energy Resources

Wood, agricultural residues, animal waste and human wastes are considered as major biomass resources.
The total energy that can be derived annually from these resources is estimated to be about 118.3 TWh. Out

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 Potential energy resource availability in Global, regional and national

of this; the share of the woody biomass is estimated to be 79%, followed by animal waste 11 percent, crop
residue 8 percent and human waste 2 percent. Fuel wood and tree residues provide the only means of
lighting to the vast majority of the rural population located in areas far away from modern fuel supplies.
The efficiency of fuel wood and twigs as a source of light, when compared to other sources of energy, is
weak. The contribution of dung and crop residues for the total energy consumption of rural households is
around 18% of the total rural energy consumption. The total dung that can be produced annually from the
current livestock and poultry population is about 27,835,022.62 tones. From this, about 129.4 TWh of
energy can be derived annually. Studies also indicate that from current population level of the country,
7,048,500 tones of human waste can be produced annually. In energy terms, this is equivalent to about 32.8
TWh per year (EEA, 2002).

3.2.5 Traditional Fuel and Animate Energy

In Ethiopia, the major traditional energy resources consist of fuel wood, crop residues, animal dung
[Meriam-Webster, 1986] and charcoal. Aside from the fact that these energy resources satisfy most of the
energy needs of the country, they are readily available and can be produced using traditional methods.
However, except for the crop residues and animate energy, whose share is low, the main energy resources,
that is, wood and its byproduct charcoal, are derived from forest resources which is increasingly
diminishing (reduced to only 2.8% of the total land from what was 40%) [EFAP, 1994]. As a result, the
state of traditional fuel is on the road to destruction rather than development. It is public knowledge that our
forest resource is shrinking, with the resulting degradation of the country's natural environment. And what
makes the situation worse is the fact that there are limited reforestation programs, and whatever there may
be is not managed properly.
Something that has not been given due attention as a source of energy, and yet one that is widely used in the
agricultural sector, is animate energy. The Ethiopian agriculture and rural transportation are based on
animate energy. Similar to dependence on traditional fuels, this is also a manifestation of backWardness. It
might be argued that, because of the increase in human and animal population, the supply of animate energy
has also increased. However, even though the head count of human and animal population has increased, as
long as both humans and animals are underfed because of drought and lack of food and feed security, the
argument that the animate energy supply has increased is invalid.

3.2.6 Others Potentials

Geothermal energy resources suitable for power production total about 700 MW [AAU, EEA, EEPCO,
2002]. The natural gas reserve is also estimated to be 10 to 30 billion m³. Oil exploration is underway (EPA,
1997a: 110-111). Large amount of coal reserves are said to be available in the western regions of the
country especially in Illubabor. Unfortunately, none of these enormous potentials for the development of
energy resources has been utilized yet thus making the country’s per capita energy consumption one of the
lowest in the world.

Renewable energy technologies Page 15 Nov,2011