Ethiopia: African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund approves grant to spur renewable investments

The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), managed by the African Development Bank on 17 May 2019 approved a $995,000 grant to support the rollout of a sustainable procurement framework for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Ethiopia.

The SEFA grant will encourage private investments into hydropower projects through Ethiopia’s Renewable Energy Programme.

It will strengthen the government’s capacity to undertake bankability and technical analysis including feasibility assessments of projects in the hydro priority pipeline. The grant also provides for environmental and social impact assessments, resettlements action plans, and preparation of bidding documents for hydro projects.

“A well-structured procurement framework is crucial in mobilizing the investments necessary to achieve universal energy access in Africa. The SEFA program will boost private IPPs participation, and spur investments into the Ethiopian hydropower sector,” said Wale Shonibare, the Bank’s acting Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth.

Ethiopia has a vast but untapped renewable energy potential. Under a long-term development strategy, the government has outlined a National Electrification Program (NEP), targeting universal access by 2025 through a 65% on-grid, and 35% off grid combination. The goal is to transform the country into a regional energy hub by 2030.

Original source: AfDB
Published on 21 May 2019