Current Status, Future Potential and Barriers for Renewable Energy Development in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is a land locked country, located in Horn of Africa. The country power generation does not meet the national demand of the people. The aim of the paper is to review a current status, future potential and barriers on development of renewable energy for power generations in Ethiopia. The approaches would be use of primary and secondary data. The structural question is developed and data collected from experts. Secondary data were also collected from national published report, ministries brief and policy guides. The study used predominate renewable energy resource for power generation such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and waste to energy. Based on the result, the country utilization of the resources like solar, wind and geothermal with less than 1% with respect to the potential except hydro power which is less than 9% from the national reserve. The paper found that finical, technical, policy and regulation are the main barriers that faced on the development renewable energy. Key measurements are strengthened finical institution, establishing capacity building center, initiation active community participation, organizing institution to support development of renewable energy. This proposed measurements and policy issues were based on the evidence faced the country.

Keywords

• biomass
• geothermal
• hydro power
• renewable energy
• solar energy
• wind power