Siemens Gamesa has signed its first deal to build a 100 MW wind farm in Ethiopia. Renewable energy giant, formed in 2016 through the merger of German-based Siemens Wind Power and Spain-based Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica, will deliver 29 wind turbines to state-owned utility Ethiopia Electric Power. The wind farm will be located between the towns of Adama and Assela, approximately 150km south of Addis Ababa. It will feed an incremental 100 MW into Ethiopia’s electricity grid, which currently generates 4,500 MW. Siemens Gamesa is looking to expand its operations across Africa, to help drive a green revolution.
90% of Ethiopia’s installed generation capacity comes from hydropower. Despite lofty plans to increase generation capacity to over 17,000 MW by 2020 and to 35,000 MW by 2037, becoming one of Africa’s key energy exporters – the vision has not been met with bankable projects. $4bn hydropower dam, which will be key to Ethiopia’s economic development, is at the center of a bitter ongoing dispute with downstream Egypt and Sudan who have voiced concerns over water scarcity. Ethiopia has set an ambitious target to supply 100% of its domestic energy demand through renewable energy by 2030. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), wind has an installed capacity potential of 10,000 MW, up from 324 MW at present. Spain-based Siemens Gamesa, with 107 GW of installed capacity worldwide, accounts for 55% of all wind power produced on the continent. It has projects in Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia and Mauritius.