| Abstract |
Energy consumption in Ethiopia is (a) low in per capita terms, and (b) underdeveloped by structure. It is made up of (i) less than 1% electricity, (ii) about 5.4% hydrocarbon fuels, and (iii) the balance is from traditional biomass fuels. Most of the petroleum products are consumed in the transport sector, whereas household energy comprises primarily of biomass fuels. About 40 million tons of fuel wood and 8 million tons of agri-residue are consumed annually. An important source of rural fuel supply is animal droppings. Government’s Energy Policy is an integral part of its overall development policy. It aims to facilitate the development of energy resources for economical supply to consumers. It seeks to achieve the accelerated development of indigenous energy resources and the promotion of private investment in the production and supply of energy. Electricity supply, as an element of the development infrastructure is being advanced in two fronts: The building up of the grid based supply system to reach all administrative and market towns, and rural electrification based on independent, privately owned supply systems in areas where the grid has not reached. The present total generation capacity is 814 MW, with hydro-generation accounting for 90%. 669.9 MW from 8 hydropower stations and 113.1 MW widely distributed diesel capacity feed the Interconnected System (ICS) and 7.3 from the Aluto-Langano Geothermal Pilot Power Plant. In Fiscal year 2007, the recorded energy generation has reached 3339 GWh. Comparing the 10 month generation of the current year (under load shedding to the whole of 2005 and 2006), it is evident that rapid increase in demand has taken place in the current and the last year due to the unprecedented increased access and associated consumption in all spheres of the economy. Presently, the most explored geothermal field is the Aluto Langano geothermal field followed by Tendaho. These two fields can be most easily and rapidly advanced to the development stage for execution of power projects in five to ten years. Other geothermal prospect areas (such as Corbetti and Abaya) that are only at the level of detailed surface investigations will be rapidly advanced to Exploration/appraisal drilling stage followed by production and development consistent with the schedule of forthcoming hydropower projects. The long tem electricity development Master Plan also concluded that geothermal exploration should define proven geothermal energy resources in other areas of Ethiopia. Accordingly, the strategic plan also focuses on surface exploration works in other prospect areas (Tulu Moye, Gedemsa, Dofan, Fantale, Teo, Danab etc.) of the Main Ethiopian Rift and the Afar Rift. The (a) selection of, and (b) prioritization of these prospects would be considered based on economic criteria: (i) their strategic locations in close proximity to the existing grid, and (ii) to regions of high population density. |