The Sustainable Energy programme at HoA-REC&N, in collaboration with its partners, was established to address the energy problems faced by the Horn of Africa by developing, promoting and disseminating a wide range of renewable and efficient energy technologies. It ws principally geared towards improving the access, quality and efficiency of household energy.

Countries in the Horn of Africa are heavy dependent on non-sustainable biomass to meet their energy needs which in Ethiopia has accounted for nearly 94% of the total national energy consumption. In rural areas in particular, where houses are scattered and connection to the electricity grid is unlikely, fuel wood, crop residues, charcoal, kerosene and dung are the popular choices for cooking and lighting.

The aim of the Sustainable Energy programme was to promote and develop sustainable and locally available fuel alternatives, such as energy from renewable sources and waste-to-energy systems. The programme undertook several projects towards achieving its aim. It undertook a pilot project to test the effectiveness of using briquette burning stoves instead of traditional systems to produce Areke (traditional liquor widely produced in Arsi areas of Ethiopia). It initiated a project to make biogas more readily available to communities.  It implemented a project aimed at distributing efficient cook stokes to households in Gimbi areas of Ethiopia. This project is still on going.

An initiative led by the Sustainable Energy managed to re-start a briquette-making machine that had previously been sitting idle for 20years.This project was undertaken in Dilla with the aim to create briquette as a source of energy.  The Sustainable Energy Programme at HoA-REC&N) also undertook successfully a project aimed at closing Repi landfill site in Addis Ababa. The programme is currently implementing new projects under its new name: Sustainable Energy, Carbon and Urban Resilience.

Report will be made available