Evidence-based energy conservation potentials and policy implications in the textile and garment industries of Ethiopia

Energy is one of the primary inputs in textile and garment processing industries and its cost share is reported between 5 and 10% of the total production cost in developed countries but is far higher in developing countries. The textile and garment sector is one of the fast growing economic sectors in developing nations like Ethiopia which have very limited scientific data particularly in the industries where there is no clear and concise information about the energy consumption pattern as well as the energy conservation practices. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to understand the energy usage pattern and conservation practices and to recommend evidence-based conservation measures and policy directions. The aim of this comprehensive study was therefore to conduct a detailed energy audit in the MAA garment and textile industry, in the town of Mekelle, at the northern part of Ethiopia, to analyze the major energy-consuming areas and implementation of evidence-based energy conservation solutions. This was achieved through primary and secondary data collected from the company. Accordingly, a total of 15 energy conservation recommendation was identified and proposed for possible implementation that have the potential to save a total cost of around $214,600 per year but requires nearly$98,300 investment leading to a payback period of 7 months. These recommendations include in the utilities of boiler, thermic fluid heater, air compressors, and lightings. In addition, key policy directions are recommended to support the sectors to reduce their energy consumption

Developing community energy systems to facilitate Ethiopia's transition to sustainable energy

In Ethiopia, renewable energy offers people an affordable, dependable, and eco-friendly power supply while decreasing the carbon footprint. However, delivering a renewable future for the country requires a massive change in social practices and systems of provision. The slow progress of renewable development is hindering the transition to a cleaner energy future. Over 80 % of people live in rural areas where it is expensive to reach them via grid networks in Ethiopia, requiring off-grid alternatives. Community energy systems, which are off-grid energy systems in which communities play a key role, offer alternative strategies to close the country's energy access gap. However, community energy systems remain underdeveloped in Ethiopia. There is a need to understand the opportunities for community energy and the barriers that hinder its development in Ethiopia, and their role in energy transitions. This paper adopts an experimental lens to understand the diverse dimensions of community energy projects through how they are made, maintained, and lived. Using a comparative analysis of three multi-method, qualitative case studies, this paper argues that the political context poses the biggest obstacle to the development of community energy in Ethiopia despite these projects' tangible benefits. The analysis indicates that community energy projects allow communities to be involved in all stages of project development. In every project, communities assume project management responsibilities after commissioning. However, these projects encounter challenges in resourcing capital, managing supply chains, and building necessary skills among community members to understand business models to ensure sustained operation of the systems