On Thursday 11th March 2021 our CESET partner Professor Getachew Bekele of Addis Ababa University delivered the 3rd webinar in our Regional Energy Learning Alliance series. The webinar was chaired by our colleague Dr Long Seng To of Loughborough University.
Professor Bekele presented on “access to electricity in Ethiopia”. The presentation included a history of electricity in Ethiopia, noting the first generator was used in Menilik Palace in 1898! Over the last century progression has been made and Ethiopia are working towards the Government’s National Electrification Program (NEP1.0 replaced by version NEP2.0 in 2017). This ambitious plan aims to reach universal access to electricity by 2025 – aiming for 65% of the population having electricity through the grid and the other 35 % through off-grid technologies - stand-alone solar systems and mini-grids. A key priority for the program is ensuing health centres and schools are given access to electricity.
You can download a copy of Professor Bekele’s slide below and watch the presentation again on the CESET YouTube playlist here.