Context

Ethiopia possesses significant renewable energy potential, yet many rural households still lack reliable electricity and rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating. This causes harmful indoor air pollution, accelerates environmental degradation, and places heavy burdens on women and girls. Limited and unstable power also constrains economic development, educational opportunities, and health care services. Expanding the use of efficient, improved, and clean cooking solutions is essential to tackle the problem and improve living conditions in Ethiopia.

Objective

Access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy has expanded across Ethiopia for households, businesses, and public services.

Approach

The project transforms markets for clean and reliable energy through four main measures.

• It supports supply in remote rural areas by training local producers and retailers, providing subsidies to clean cookstove producers and solar product retailers. The project also promotes women as entrepreneurs, technicians, and decision-makers.
• It creates demand through information and behavioural change campaigns, and by improving access to financial schemes that help households and businesses adopt modern energy solutions.
• It improves the enabling environment by supporting professional associations and public institutions to develop plans, policies and regulations for energy access businesses, enhances national standards and labelling frameworks, and raises awareness of these standards among suppliers and end-users.
• It ensures no one is left behind by addressing the needs of women and girls, refugees, internally displaced populations, and beneficiaries of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). 

Last update: December 2025