Ethiopia to electrify rural communities using Israeli solar-biogas hybrid power technology

Tigrai Online January 16, 2015

The Ethiopian government is partnering to bring electric power and energy to rural areas using a cutting adage green technology.  The giant Horn of Africa country is determined to become a middle income country in the near future. Ethiopia is building mega hydro electric dams in parts of the country. One of the mega dams is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam which is almost fifty percent is completed. When the GERD is completed it will produce 6000MG watt of clean energy for Ethiopia.

Most Ethiopians are farmers and live in scattered villages throughout the mountainous highlands of the country. Bringing electricity to those small villages spread all over the difficult terrain becomes a challenge, but the Ethiopian government is up to the challenge thanks to the latest Israeli technology.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy is working with the leading Israeli developer of solar-biogas hybrid power technology, AORA to bring power and renewable energy to those rural communities who are far away from major urban centers.

“We are transforming our Green Economy Strategy into action and are pleased to partner with AORA to help achieve our vision, AORA’s unique solar-hybrid technology is impressive and well-suited to provide both energy and heat to support local economic development in off-grid rural locations in Ethiopia” said Alemayehu Tegenu, Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy.

Ethiopia is spending billions of US dollars to enhance the lives of it’s people. Tapping to the huge potential wind energy, Ethiopia inaugurated the largest African wind farm in Tigrai State, the northern part of the country. Ethiopia’s all inclusive green economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. Ethiopia is searching creative ways to bring clean, reliable, and renewable energy to the ever growing manufacturing industry and over 90 million populations. Partnering with AORA the Israeli solar-biogas hybrid power energy company is part of that effort. Many Israeli companies and individual investors are in Ethiopia.

“We are pleased to partner with the Ministry and look forward to bringing our technology to Ethiopia to provide the population with affordable access to power, Such access will have significant social and economic impact on off-grid communities, helping to provide power to schools and medical facilities, refrigeration for food processing and post-harvest storage, groundwater pumping and much more” said Zev Rosenzweig, CEO of AORA.

AORA’s hybrid technology runs on solar radiation and almost in any gaseous or liquid fuel, including biogas, biodiesel and natural gas.

There are some detractors who wish to see Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people immersed in endless conflicts and begging for wheat flour. Despite the difficult challenges the Ethiopian people have successfully broken the vicious cycle of poverty and backwardness. The glorious days of development and economic success await Ethiopian. There is no going back, only forward to the bright future.