MOFCOM-UNDP: Trilateral Cooperation on Renewable Energy in Ethiopia

Despite progress of Ethiopia’s energy sector over the last 10 years, the continuous economic growth has created a severe energy shortage to support the large and growing population. This hinders economic and social development as well as negatively impacted environment and natural resources.

The Project establishes a mechanism for trilateral and South-South Cooperation to address sustainable development challenges related to international cooperation, access to energy for improved service delivery and sustainable integrated farming practices. The Project takes a point of departure in the need for renewable energy technology dissemination and scale-up for Ethiopia climate resilient growth, and supports access to energy and sustainable resource consumption through trial and demonstration of biogas and solar energy for productive uses. The Project is implemented under a South-South Cooperation framework and as such presents itself as a learning platform for both China and Ethiopia to engage and cooperate at the international level in renewable energy technology and skills transfer.

Objectives:

• To provide capacity building intervention and boost investment on solar photovoltaic (PV), institutional biogas and hybrid power generation system technologies for grid and off grid located public institutes such as hospitals, universities, condominium houses and industrial zones.
• To build a successful case for medium scale[1] biogas and integrated energy system through demonstration projects for productive uses.

Expected results:

The project is implemented on a two-year basis starting from 2019 to 2021, and includes two key outcomes, i.e. capacity building for renewable energy technology transfer and cross-country knowledge sharing and experience exchange.

Outcome 1: Capacity for RET transfer built through demonstration of biogas and solar for productive uses

On capacity building, it aims to ensure the outcome for capacity for RET transfer built through demonstration of biogas and solar for productive uses and through RE demonstration site construction. Main planned interventions will be tentatively carried out from 2019 Q3 to 2021 Q2, including: identify demonstration institutions, conduct needs assessment, participate in site planning and construction, and on-site training for operation and maintenance.

Outcome 2: South-South knowledge and experience exchanged

On knowledge sharing and exchange of experiences, it aims to explore suitable business models based on piloting results and support Chinese institutions to “go abroad” on capacity development in South partner countries. Main planned interventions will be tentatively carried out from 2019 to 2021, including: organizing training of trainers in installation, operation and maintenance; organize training on system design; develop and trial Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Awards; host Best Practices Forum; coordinate business match-making platform; conduct joint research.

[1] Medium scale biogas plants in Ethiopia are defined as plants with a capacity comprised between 40 and 100/120 m³.