The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation has announced today that it plans to build Africa’s largest wind farm. The farm, which is being built in Ashegoba, will have a relatively impressive output of 120MW— enough power to supply 15 percent of Ethiopia’s energy needs.
The new turbines are especially important for the country, whose main source of power (hydroelectric dams) has been hit hard by droughts. Ethiopia’s wind power system will remove some of the burden from the dams.
The €220 million endeavor will use turbines from France’s Vergnet Group, which produces turbines designed to function well even in areas that don’t have optimal weather for wind power. Ethiopia’s new plant will go online and reach its maximum output by 2011.
Hopefully, the wind power project will be followed up by a solar project that takes advantage of Ethiopia’s plentiful sunshine.
Check out Red Green and Blue’s post on Ethiopia’s turbine project.
Photo Credit: Vergnet.fr
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