GTDC, EEPCo to develop 300MW solar project in Eastern Ethiopia

Global Trade Development Consulting (GTDC) and Energy Ventures have secured a contract from Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy and the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEPCo) to build, operate and transfer three 100-MW solar farms in Eastern Ethiopia.

The new project is expected to create around 2,000 construction jobs that would inject additional revenue to the Ethiopian economy.

As part of the integrated energy policy, Ethiopian government intends to build an installed capacity of about 20,000 MW in the country, by 2020.

Ethiopia water, irrigation and energy minister Alemayehu Tegenu said the project represents a significant advance in Ethiopian energy initiative, which is part of comprehensive energy plan.

"Given Ethiopia’s large hydro-electric generation capacity and now wind and geothermal power generation coming on-line, large scale solar fits nicely into our energy portfolio and will provide significant power generation capacity much faster than the other renewable technologies," Tegenu added.

GTDC CEO Yonnas Kefle said the company spent months analysing the potential for a large-scale solar project in Ethiopia.

"As with all our projects, we intend to maximize the amount of local resources in the performance of this project," Kefle added.

Energy Ventures founder and CEO Lynn Hogg said, "We are excited to be the Project Developer leading this important project for Ethiopia. The powers that this project will deliver have a dramatic effect on millions of Ethiopians’ quality of life."