Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) aims to establish off-grid electricity services in remote regions and develop battery charging stations for electric vehicles in partnership with Huawei Technology S.C. Shiferaw Telila, CEO of the Utility signed the agreement with Michael Liu, head of Huawei's Ethiopian office. Ethiopia recently became the first African country to ban the use of internal combustion vehicles for personal use. EEU kicked off a 339 million dollar World Bank-backed project in November of last year that would see the electrification of up to 200 rural towns using 30 off-grid power generation stations in one of the largest off-grid projects. While off-grid electricity presents significant potential to enhance energy access and reach throughout the country, legislative hurdles have presented a formidable challenge for investors throughout the years, according to Shiferaw. Ethiopia has abundant renewable energy resources and has the potential to generate over 60,000MW of electric power from hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal sources despite only half of the population receiving electricity. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's (PhD) green economy strategy also entails a shift towards renewable sources. With only 60 electric car charging stations in the capital and a shortage of spare parts for EVs nationwide, experts recommend massive investments in the development of the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the ambitious strategy.
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