Ministry of Water & Energy says Efforts Underway to Develop potential Renewable Sources, Benefit Entire Population
Addis Ababa (ENA) -The Ministry of Water and Energy said that efforts are being exerted to develop potential renewable energy sources and benefit the entire population in the country.
The ministry further said that it provides support to industrial plants that are manufacturing and assembling solar and energy-saving appliances.
A group of officials from the Ministry of Water and Energy other stakeholders visited a Renewable and Energy-saving Plant in Bahir Dar city, which was built at a cost of 100 million birr.
During the visit, state Minister of Water and Energy, Sultan Wali, said the government is building mega power generation projects.
The government has planned to make 65 percent of the country’s population beneficial from the electric power that comes from the national power grid, he said.
By developing Ethiopia’s renewable energy potential, efforts are underway to ensure that the entire population throughout the country benefits from the sector, he elaborated.
In a bid to distribute solar energy technologies and provide energy access to 35 percent of the total population scattered in rural areas, efforts are being undertaken to develop small hydropower dams by the private sector.
That includes supporting local industries engaged in the production and assembly of solar-panels and energy-saving electronic materials. Efforts are being made to manufacture them locally too, he said.
According to the state minister, it is necessary to support such manufacturing industries as local production reduces foreign exchange by 50 percent and assembling by 15 percent, he elaborated.
Abra Amba Technology Factory, owner, Samson Belayneh on his part, said that the factory produces solar panels and energy-saving electrical appliances.
Currently, the machine installation work has been completed and sample production of energy-saving electrical appliances has already begun, he added.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency