Hydropower development in Ethiopia vis-a-vis perspective regional power trade
2005
Michael Abebe
Among the various renewable energies that get attention to satisfy energy needs of the African nations is the immense hydropower potential in the continent. About 20.58% of the world's hydropower potential lies in Africa. Thus harnessing of this renewable, non-polluting, indigenous resources and a well-proven technology is essential and inevitable for sustainable economic development of the region. The total electricity requirement of the Nile Basin countries in 2000 was estimated at about 18GW and is forecasted to grow to 30GW in 2005, 39GW in 2010, and 65GW in 2020. The forecast electricity requirement translates to a need for about 12000MW of new capacity to be installed every five year (Norconsult-statnet, 2000). Ethiopia is second in Africa in its hydropower potential. The estimated economically exploitable hydropower potential of Ethiopia is about 30000MW of this vast potential, only less than 2% has been utilized up to now. The vast potential is greatly in excess of the country's foreseeable domestic requirements. Recent studies revealed that, there is a potential for power trade between Ethiopia neighboring countries, which are not adequately endowed with this renewable and even to Europe in the long term. Currently power trade opportunities among Nile basin countries are being explored under NBI Nile Basin Initiative). Hence, this necessitates giving new impetus to development of untapped hydropower potential for export and national requirements.
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