Public perception and policy implications towards the development of new wind farms in Ethiopia

As part of the global effort in the development and deployment of renewable energy, Ethiopia is aggressively working to increase the share of those energy resources into the energy mix. Ethiopia is known for the use of hydropower generation systems but recently the country is introducing wind energy technologies and developed wind farms that started power generation in 2011. However, the public perception towards this new entrant of power generation system is not well understood. This paper therefore explores the perception of the public living within the wind farms. This is achieved through structured survey and conducting household level discussions with the community. The results showed that generally the public is supportive of such development but critical issues have been raised such as lack of prior consultation with the community by the developers, fairness of land compensation and generally lack of inclusive benefit packages from the wind farm development for the community. With the country planning for new wind farm development, it is crucial to devise comprehensive solutions and consider the recommended policy directions in this paper in order to develop public confidence and ownership for sustainability of the developed power generation systems

Development and manufacturing of solar and wind energy technologies in Ethiopia: Challenges and policy implications

Ethiopia has one of the most ambitious energy expansion programmes but to achieve these goals, policies must be aimed at localizing the development and manufacturing of energy technologies. However, the country is dependent on importing solar and wind energy technologies. The aim of this paper is therefore to explore the challenges of locally developing and manufacturing solar and wind energy technologies, the necessary assets and policy instruments that can facilitate localization of energy technologies. This was achieved through survey questionnaire and interview from different stakeholders. The results show that the region has very limited capability of developing and manufacturing of solar and wind energy technologies because of lack of investment capital, under developed solar and wind supply chain, lack of skilled workforce and others. To overcome these challenges, financial incentives for research and development, solar and wind based power generation, manufacturing are considered as the top policy instruments with other policies included in this paper. Therefore, a proper implementation of the internationally proven policy instruments recommended in this paper are urgently needed in the region in order to achieve one of the sustainable development goals that stipulate facilitation of the implementation of modern, affordable and sustainable energy to the society

Simplified CFD modelling of tidal turbines for exploring arrays of devices

The status of marine current tidal energy technology is currently in the research and development phase, with a few deployments and tests of prototypes under-way in some countries. There is a huge pressure for tidal farms to be of Gigawatt scale in order to have a real, economically viable impact on renewable energy utilization targets outlined for 2020. A route to achieving this is the large scale energy farm philosophy, similar to wind farms, based on very large numbers of unit current tidal stream devices. However, this emerging technology development raises different research questions which lead to further problems in the practical implementation of tidal stream devices. Thus, the aim of this study was: (i) to develop a new, computationally cheap computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based model of the Momentum-Reversal-Lift (MRL) tidal turbine, and (ii) to perform a detailed calculations of the flow field of single and multiple turbines using the developed model to investigate the flow features such as, downstream wake structures, dynamics of the free surface, wake recovery, and the influence of wake interactions on the performance of individual devices. A new CFD based Immersed Body Force (IBF) model has been developed to represent the MRL turbine. The IBF model was developed based on the concept of actuator disc methodology by incorporating additional geometric features that induce energy absorption from the flow which also lead to a downstream wake structure intended to reflect more closely those of the real turbines than simple momentum sink zone models. This turbine model was thoroughly used to investigate the performance of the MRL turbine and the associated flow characteristics and proved its capability in analysing several issues relating to this design of tidal turbines. Several calculations have been carried out and a full range of operating points of the MRL turbine was formulated. A maximum power coefficient of, Cp = 0.665, was obtained with a blockage ratio of, B = 0.016. However, the performance of the turbine was improved at a higher blockage ratio both in a single and tidal stream farm investigations. The power coefficient of a single turbine was improved by about 3% when simulated with a blockage ratio of, B = 0.029, and even a higher value was obtained in a tidal stream farm containing three turbines configured in the spanwise direction which reached up to, CP = 0.761, with a global blockage ratio of, B = 0.027. These power coefficients are higher than the Lanchester-Betz limit of CP = 0.593 obtained at B = 0, which is mainly due to the tidal turbine operating in a constrained environment, high blockage ratio, that increases the thrust force on the device. The power coefficient of the IBF model showed consistently higher values compared to experiments and a detailed CFD model results. This indicates that the power coefficient calculated using the IBF model includes some other losses within the turbine region, such as losses due to viscous, shear etc. Investigations on the influence of closely packed clusters of turbines in a tidal streamfarm showed that a laterally close configuration of turbines improved the performance of individual turbines due to the blockage effect, which is created by the array of turbines in the span-wise direction. In contrast, a small longitudinal spacing between turbines inflicted a massive energy shadowing that affects the performance of downstream turbines. However, a tidal stream farm with a staggered turbine layout can reduce the longitudinal spacing by about 50% with a minimum of 6D lateral spacing compared with a regular turbine layout due to the advantage of using an accelerated bypass flows.University of Exete

Solar home systems in Ethiopia: Sustainability challenges and policy directions

The current energy access in Ethiopia stands at 44%, where 33% is provided through grid connections and 11% through off grid solutions. In order to increase the electricity access, the Ethiopian government has launched National Electrification Program laying out the country's ambition towards universal access by 2025 through a combination of 65% grid-connected and 35% off-grid energy systems such as the solar home systems (SHS). With the government's ambitious plans and increased market diffusion of SHS in the rural communities of Ethiopia, the country requires evidence based comprehensive data on the key challenges of SHS in order to maintain sustainability of the systems. This paper aims to explore the key sustainability challenges associated with the utilization of SHS and provides recommendations to overcome such challenges. This has been achieved through a field questionnaire survey. The study found out that high initial investment cost, lack of local manufacturing, lack of full awareness of the operation, frequent failure of the systems, lack of sufficient maintenance experts, high maintenance and installation costs, lack of spare parts are considered to be the key challenges that are affecting the market diffusion and sustainability of the systems. To overcome these challenges, evidence based policies are recommended

COVID-19 and energy access: An opportunity or a challenge for the African continent?

As the COVID-19 pandemic gains ground in the African continent, it will create havoc and unprecedented health and economic crisis. The crisis has exposed the robustness and resilience of the economies and services such as health systems around the world and it is disaster in the making while the pandemic is spreading fast to the African continent. This is alarming mainly because the continent has weak health system compounded by low access to modern and reliable electricity. It is also anticipated that the crisis will be brought ample opportunities and the African governments and the people should make coordinated and concerted effort in developing conducive business environment and exploit the opportunities presented to facilitate energy access focusing on clean and renewable energy technologies. This is a big test for the continent and thus it will either brought prosperity through facilitating universal energy access by effectively utilizing the opportunities brought by the crisis or the lack of energy access will continue affecting communities the ability to improve their livelihoods

The role of community energy and the challenges in a state-led model of service provision in Ethiopia

Community energy can drive sustainable energy transitions in Africa and beyond. However, the implementation of community energy systems is lagging because of the lack of appropriate governance frameworks. This paper aims to explore the critical challenges related to the governance and development of community energy systems in the context of state-led energy service provisions in Ethiopia and to recommend interventions to facilitate their implementation. The paper presents a systematic review of official energy policies, proclamations, and regulations documents, national and international publications, and a consultation with local energy agencies. The findings indicate huge gaps in energy governance, including technical, financial, and operational challenges. Policymakers, the research community, and operators can take action to overcome these challenges. Strong commitment from all levels of government, international development organisations, and the private sector can make a difference in Ethiopia's community energy development. Dividing responsibilities for planning and implementing community energy is one critical step towards practical community interventions that can accelerate energy access, provide more reliable and affordable energy services, and meet the growing energy demand

Comparative assessment of the challenges faced by the solar energy industry in Ethiopia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on social, economic, and political situations of all countries around the world with no sight to its end. Business sectors such as solar distributors, which have been instrumental in supporting the governments' ambitious universal electrification programs, have been negatively affected by the pandemic. The main aim of this paper is therefore to explore and conduct a comparative assessment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic of the key challenges of solar-based businesses in Ethiopia focusing on the distributors and installers and to provide policy recommendations. Qualitative and quantitative assessments were employed during this study. The results show that before the pandemic, finding a skilled workforce, gaining a technical knowledge of the technology, competing in the market, and lack of consumer awareness and initial investment were the key challenges. The importation of solar technologies has been halted by the arrival of the COVID-19 exacerbating existing challenges and threatening the very existence of the businesses. The impact of the pandemic on income levels of end-users of solar technologies, together with the lack of sufficient supply of technologies to the businesses, most of the businesses are forced to lay off their employees deepening the unemployment rate and, in some cases, forcing businesses to be closed. These circumstances affect economic development and dents the progress made so far in facilitating energy access to remote communities. To protect these vulnerable but very essential small businesses, necessary interventions are recommended. This article is categorized under:Photovoltaics > Economics and Policy

CFD Simulations for Sensitivity Analysis of Different Parameters to the Wake Characteristics of Tidal Turbine

articleThis paper investigates the sensitivity of width proximity and mesh grid size to the wake characteristics of Momentum Reversal Lift (MRL) turbine using a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based Immersed Body Force (IBF) model. This model has been added as a source term into the large eddy simulation (LES), which is developed for solving two phase fluids. The open source CFD code OpenFOAM was used for the simulations. The simulation results showed that the grid size and width proximity have had massive impact on the flow characteristics and the computational cost of the tidal turbine. A fine grid size and large width inflicted longer computational time. In contrast, a coarse grid size and small width reduced the computational time but showed poor description of the flow features. In addition, a close proximity of the domain’s wall boundary to the turbine affected the free surface, the air body, and the flow characteristics at the interface between the two phases. These results showed that careful investigation of a suitable grid size and spacing between the wall boundary and the turbine is important to minimise the effect of these parameters on the simulation results.University of Exete

The role of community energy systems to facilitate energy transitions in Ethiopia and Mozambique

Policymakers and academics are focusing on energy transition to provide affordable, sustainable, and green energy for everyone. This is being driven by a combination of the lack of electricity access to millions of people particularly in the African continent and the requirement for the reduction of environmental impact through the use of greener energy resources and systems. This paper summarizes an interdisciplinary research program investigating community energy systems in Ethiopia and Mozambique to facilitate energy transitions. Specifically, it compares community energy landscapes, progress made, and existing challenges and opportunities. To determine the status of community energy development in the two countries, recent publications and official policies were reviewed, and community energy managers were interviewed. The review showed that renewable energy sources are the dominant focus for community energy developments, which is key to achieving a cleaner energy future. However, progress in community energy development has been slow in these countries. There are several reasons that hinder community energy systems from driving the necessary energy transition to a cleaner, modern, and affordable energy. Some of these reasons are the absence of favorable regulatory frameworks, incentive package, knowledge on business models, weak commitments from stakeholders, and insufficient community involvement. These issues vary in degree between the two countries

The role of off-grid energy systems for sustainable energy transition in Ethiopia

The lack of energy in rural areas of Ethiopia, the second-most populous country in Africa, impedes development, and economic growth. Nonetheless, the nation has been working hard to create a green legacy and use renewable energy. Due to restricted access to national energy supplies, traditional fuels like fuel wood, dung cakes, and agricultural residues are primarily used for cooking and lighting in Ethiopia. Solar, hydro, wind, and geothermal energy are among the many renewable energy sources that exist but are not yet used. Grid and off-grid energy systems can be combined to accomplish this transition. The renewable energy-based off-grid system lowers greenhouse gas emissions, lessens the use of conventional fuels, enhances indoor air quality, and protects the ecosystem. To better understand how off-grid energy systems can support Ethiopia's energy transition, this paper analyzes the country's current energy situation, highlights the role of off-grid solutions, and suggests strategies to increase their adoption and spread. To achieve this, it examines the obligations, advantages, and difficulties associated with putting off-grid energy solutions into practice during Ethiopia's energy transition. The paper addresses the following questions: How can off-grid energy systems contribute to Ethiopia's energy transition? What are the benefits of off-grid solutions? What are the responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges associated with implementing off-grid energy systems in Ethiopia? What is the implication of the national energy policy and regulatory frameworks? How can the adoption and expansion of off-grid energy systems be boosted? The results showed that off-grid energy systems, particularly those far from the national grid, are promising solutions to Ethiopia's energy issues. These systems can facilitate the nation's overall energy transition, enhance access to energy, and promote sustainability. Off-grid energy systems can help achieve several SDGs ((SDG 5, SDG 1, SDG 7, SDGs 3 and 4, and SDG 13). However, because of insufficient funding, ineffective laws and regulations, and low stakeholder commitment, the development of off-grid energy systems is moving more slowly than anticipated. To promote investments in off-grid energy, the government, business community, and international organisations must collaborate to develop off-grid energy systems in Ethiopia. Addressing major obstacles and putting laws, rules, and incentives that benefit the whole off-grid ecosystem from importers to consumers will help hasten the energy transition. To do this rules that enable and guarantee the use of all available implementing agent’s public, private, public-private partnerships, and cooperatives must be established and enforced