Energy Coordination Office (ECO)

GENERAL INFORMATION AND MAIN OBJECTIVE

Commissioned by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Implementing GIZorganization Co-financed by Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Irish Aid

Partner organisations Political partner: Ministry of Water and Energy

Implementing partners: Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopian Energy Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Non-Governmental Organisations and others

Current phase 01/2010 – 12/2013

Budget EUR 10.465 million

Objective Conditions in Ethiopia’s energy sector have improved. Lower-income households, social facilities and small and medium-sized enterprises in particular have sustainable access to modern energy technologies and services.

Implemented by:

CHALLENGE

Ethiopia is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources. Nevertheless, it is one of the lowest energy consuming countries in the world. Only 14% of its 85 million inhabitants have access to electricity at home. For the 67 million people living in rural areas this figure is only 2%. This seriously limits the country’s growth and development potential.

Rural regions in particular have few affordable alternatives to traditional energy sources such as firewood. The general public also knows little about the advantages of a modern energy supply. The consequences are increasing deforestation and soil erosion and, not least, health problems such as respiratory tract diseases. Ethiopia will only be able to improve this situation by expanding and utilising renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources.

OUR APPROACH

In the context of its multilateral Energising Development Programme (EnDev) ECO supports the Ethiopian government when it comes to improving access to a modern energy supply. ECO also promotes professional and management capacity-building for all partners in the programme. This includes providing training courses. ECO focuses on the following areas:

• Renewable Energy Technology Development: developing and disseminating small solar and hydropower plants and energy-efficient stoves.

• Renewable Energy Market Development: improving access to a modern energy supply by developing markets for renewable energies and promoting the private sector and local economic capacities in rural regions.

• Policy, Strategy and Communications: advising the Ethiopian government on energy policies, strategies, laws and programmes; involving civil society and the private sector in the energy debate.

PROGRAMME IMPACTS

• Solar energy plants have been installed in 123 off-grid public health centres and six community centres, providing access to modern energy services for around 2.9 million people.

• More than 600 producers of energy-efficient cooking stoves have been established in 310 districts in seven regions. By the end of December 2012, these producers had sold more than 626,197 improved stoves.

• More than 1.3 million people are already benefitting from energy-efficient cooking stoves. Using these stoves, an average household saves around 575 kilograms of firewood per year – leading to a combined total of 332,397 tonnes per year in Ethiopia.

• Four micro-hydropower plants have been constructed in three villages in southern Ethiopia providing electricity for around 22,000 inhabitants.

ImprintDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Registered offices: Bonn and Eschborn

German Development Cooperation OfficeP.O. Box 12631, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaT +251 11 6451 020F +251 11 6463 653E giz-aethiopien@giz.deI www.giz.de/ethiopia

Photos: GIZ archives, Konjit Negussu, Michael Tsegaye © GIZUpdated: February 2013