LocationsSharing south-south knowledge on renewable energy tech
April 17, 2023
Ethiopia has one of the biggest electricity access deficits according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which highlighted that the top 20 access-deficit countries account for 81% of the global population without access to clean tech and fuels (source: The Energy Progress Report).
Ethiopia’s 10-Year Development Plan articulates a commitment to universal access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy by 2030.
UNDP is tapping into south-south cooperation with the Governments of China and Sri Lanka to help Ethiopia improve access to renewable energy solutions as part of the country’s commitment to transition to a jobs-rich green economy.
A south-south trilateral cooperation project focusing on biogas, biomass and solar is helping to contribute to efforts at bridging the energy access gap and meeting Ethiopia’s energy and climate targets.
The successful implementation of the project in Ethiopia aims to benefit more than 10,000 households in rural areas, promote investment in renewable energy technologies, and scale up climate-resilient growth.
The project has implemented five trials and demonstrations of biogas and solar energy for productive uses to support energy access in Amhara, Harari and SNNP regions.
The project also serves as a learning platform for Ethiopia, China, and Sri Lanka on south-south cooperation.
In April 2023, a three-day workshop in Shanghai, China, brought together participants from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and China to discuss renewable energy solutions and low-carbon development.
Wubua Mekonnen, Team leader for UNDP-Ethiopia's Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability unit addressing the workshop on "Advancing renewable energy technology transfer and knowledge exchanges towards the 2030 agenda for sustainable development” . The workshop was the first in-person knowledge-sharing session under the project in over three years.
The workshop created opportunities for key stakeholders from Ethiopia and Sri Lanka to learn about sustainable renewable energy options and relevant technologies to advance low-carbon transition and meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants from Ethiopia included the Ministry of Water and Energy, Ministry of Finance of Ethiopia, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Wolaita Sodo University, as well as staff from UNDP Ethiopia.
During the knowledge-sharing sessions, participants exchanged perspectives on renewable energy practices in the three countries, national priorities, and plans for advancing the low-carbon transition.
Participants also visited two demonstration sites of solar, biogas and biomass technologies in China, showcasing the successful application of various technologies in fishery and recycling of agricultural waste.
Takeaways from the three-day event will feed into concrete technological solutions that advance the low-carbon transition, particularly through south-south and triangular cooperation.
The event, held from 9-12 April 2023, was organized by the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21 (ACCA21), under the guidance of China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and with technical support from Fudan University (FDU) and the China Agricultural University (CAU).
Read more about the Trilateral cooperation
Advancing green south-south trilateral cooperation
Promoting South-South Cooperation in Renewable Energy: Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and China
Ethiopia to execute trilateral cooperation on renewable energy
UNDP to promote south-south cooperation through trilateral renewable energy project
