LocationsThe solar PV systems was installed through UNDP with funding from the Government of China
South-South Collaboration lights up schools with Solar Tech
April 17, 2024
Wolaita Sodo, 17 April 2024: Solar panels were officially handed over to the Institutional Newase Primary and Junior Secondary School as part of a wider south-south cooperation on solar panels and biogas technologies.
The partnership brings together Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy, UNDP, and the Ministry of Commerce of China to demonstrate an integrated renewable energy system.
The school is now equipped with a solar power system with a peak capacity of 9 kW. The deployment is ultimately catering to the electricity needs of a substantial population totaling arround 1,000 students and teachers.
In 2024 more than 50,000 people (32% Female) in rural areas will benefit from the Project, to install solar-powered systems for electricity and irrigation purposes. Rural schools and universities will benefit from 300 cubic meters of biogas plant and water supply points. Through this support, rural communities will see a significant reduction of 157,310.297 tCO2eq emissions.
One of the challenges the project seeks to address was that most rural public institutions, particularly schools and universities catering for hundreds of thousands of students, still do not have access to electricity and rely mainly on fuelwood for cooking which is not stainable.
The project explored technological answers to help the government address transition to renewable energy technologies for sustainable energy use in public institutions and agro-industrial activities.
So far, the project has installed two solar PV projects in schools within the Harari region, and one solar PV system at a school in the South Ethiopia Regional State. These systems are expected to benefit more 2,000 members of the communities, including students and teachers.
Investments in join research and the setup of extension centres in theWolaita Sodo University is expected to play a critical role in facilitating rural communities and local interested groups to adopt renewable energy technologies (RETs). This activity will also serve as a learning platform for both China and Ethiopia and facilitate cooperation at the international level in RET transfer.
Installation of solar PV systems in South Ethiopia Regional State through UNDP implemented project funded by the Government of China.
